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November 2003

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11/30/03		Volleyball Not Included In NCAA Tournament Field (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Despite becoming just the second team in Conference USA history to reach the 30-win mark, the University of Memphis volleyball team (30-6) was not included in the 64-team NCAA Championship tournament field it was announced, Sunday night. With just C-USA Champion Louisville, and at-large Cincinnati in the tournament field, this marks just the first time in six years that Conference USA has not sent three teams into the NCAA Tournament. Undefeated Southern Cal is the tournament's top seed, and will face New Hampshire, who received an automatic bid into the tournament and will open play Friday. The omission means the Tigers wrapped the 2003 season with a 30-6 overall record and also marks the ends of the Tiger careers of seniors Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) and Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's). Barnett finishes her career as the program's third ranked player with 1,349 career kills and eighth with 1,174 career digs. Neba finishes her career ranked fourth in career block assists and eighth in career block solos. In all, the two seniors guided the Tigers to two 20+ win seasons and one 19 win season. Memphis has not made the NCAA Volleyball Tournament field since 1994. In that tournament, the Tigers were defeated by San Diego State, 3-1, in the first round of that tournament.

11/30/03		With 7 Turnovers, Sloppy Tigers Hand Game To Bulls -- Gift-Wrapped (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 30, 2003 The monthlong celebration, one that began when the University of Memphis won its sixth game Nov. 1, had to end eventually. The odds were in favor of the party being crashed. Leading receiver Maurice Avery and veteran offensive lineman Andrew Handy were lost to injuries two weeks ago at Louisville. Leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, a contender for Conference USA offensive player of the year, was felled by a knee injury last weekend. And quarterback Danny Wim prine, who had struggled in victory last weekend, struggled again: four interceptions and 12 deflected, tipped or nearly intercepted passes among his 51 attempts. On Saturday, a Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium crowd of 47,875 that had been poised to send the Tigers off to the postseason watched a depleted U of M self-destruct. Seven turnovers, including two inside the South Florida 15-yard line, proved too much for a strong defensive effort to offset, and the Tigers had their five-game win streak snapped in a 21-16 C-USA loss to South Florida. The Tigers (8-4 overall, 5-3 C-USA) ended their most successful regular season in 30 years and will be invited to a bowl game today - likely the New Orleans Bowl - but it may take several days to shake off the effects of such a mistake-prone performance. "We gave one away today, and I thought we had gotten past that," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "I thought we had gotten past the point where we do those kind of things to give games away." Memphis outgained South Florida in yards (458-192), first downs (23-8), offensive plays (89-64) and time of possession (30:40 to 29:20). It also had a decisive advantage in turnovers (7-2), an edge that led to its only loss in November. Wimprine, who surpassed the 7,000-yard career passing mark Saturday, was intercepted four times, including three picks by USF's J.R. Reed. "We didn't play well at all," Wimprine said. "It was a terrible day for me. We just kept putting the ball on the ground and kept throwing interceptions. You can't win like that. "I definitely came out and lost this one. It wasn't a lot of fun." Wimprine was 25-of-51 for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but misfired often and was plagued by several dropped passes. He's been intercepted seven times in two games after going four games without being picked. Wimprine wasn't alone in accepting blame. Running back Derron Parquet, filling in for Williams, rushed for a game-high 164 yards, but fumbled twice, including one that was returned 45 yards for a touchdown by, who else, Reed. "I almost feel like it was my fault," Parquet said. "As much as I did to try and help us win, I felt I did an equal amount to help us lose. "One of those fumbles the guy ran back for a touchdown, whether I was down or not, the ref said I was up, so it was a fumble. I'm just disappointed we couldn't pull it out for the seniors." Playing their final home game were eight seniors, mostly on a defense that did its best to rescue a struggling offense. The Tiger defense limited USF to 25 yards rushing, including minus-8 in the second half. The Bulls (7-4, 4-4) managed but 57 second-half yards. But a combination of USF interceptions and a 96-yard kickoff return by Reed (who else?) to open the second half allowed the Bulls to overcome the Memphis defensive effort. Memphis kicker Stephen Gostkowski added a 45-yard field goal on the ensuing Tiger possession for a 10-7 lead, but less than two minutes later Reed grabbed a fumble and raced down the left sideline to give USF a 14-10 advantage. In the closing minutes of the third quarter, Reed stepped up again, picking off Wimprine at the Memphis 40 and taking the ball to the 25, before tossing a lateral to D'Juan Brown. Seven plays later, DeJuan Green rambled in from four yards out for a 21-10 Bulls lead. And Reed came up with a key interception early in the fourth quarter after the Tigers recovered a fumble at the USF 17. Wimprine led the Tigers to their final score - a 9-yard fade to freshman Ryan Scott - with 4:27 left. Any hopes of a late Memphis comeback were dashed a minute later when USF quarterback Pat Julmiste completed a 58-yard pass to Chris Iskra to the Tiger 21. "I think most people thought we might not have a prayer because we lost to UAB last week (and thus ended hopes of becoming bowl eligible)," said USF coach Jim Leavitt. "And we only had one quarterback healthy." But Reed's highlight-reel performance, and Memphis's nightmarish afternoon, made the upset possible. The Tigers drove from their 29 to the USF 29 on their opening possession, only to have Gost kow ski's 46-yard attempt sail wide right. The U of M got inside the USF 15 on its next possession, but LaKendus Cole fumbled. Memphis broke through on its following series, going 52 yards in three plays. The Tigers got the touchdown when Wimprine faked a pitch, rolled right and threw back across the field to a wide-open Darron White for a 36-yard score. But after White's TD, the Tigers were mostly ineffective. "We had a lot riding on this game," West said. "Who knows? If we win this game, we might have a shot to get in the Top 25. "We had a lot, lot riding here today. I just hate to lose like that. I might get beat, but I don't like to give 'em away." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/30/03		Season To Savor -- Loss Doesn't Diminish Tigers' Great Year, Bowl Dreams (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 30, 2003 Charlie Smithers, Tiger fan, wore his favorite barbecue apron for the final game of the season. "Will cook for a bowl game," it said. Smithers bought the apron four years ago. It's seen a lot of great barbecue and bad football. But today, the meal is finally served. Today, the University of Memphis will be invited to a bowl game for the first time since 1971. "I'm going to embroider patches from each bowl we go to," Smithers said. Each? "Each," he said. See what an 8-4 season will do for a program? See how it can change the view of the future? Before the season, some were talking about whether Memphis should drop football. Now they're already talking about a run of bowl games. And why not? The Tigers whipped Louisville and Ole Miss. They easily led the C-USA in attendance. They averaged 40,621 a game, the best ever. "It's been a great football year," said Memphis coach Tommy West. "I'm just sorry we ended it this way." You're forgiven, Coach. Even though it wasn't quite the ending anyone would have ordered. First, South Florida beat the Tigers, 21-16. That was a downer. Next, Conference USA Comissioner Britton Banowsky wouldn't let two representatives on hand from the New Orleans Bowl invite the Tigers to their party. That was just stupid. The bowl reps wanted to make a big show of it, see? That's why they flew up here. They'd announce it at halftime. Wild applause all around. Or free Hurricanes. Whichever. But Banowsky said no. Because TCU and Mobile's GMAC Bowl were still locked in a stalemate. The GMAC Bowl wants to invite TCU. TCU wants to decline the invitation and go to the Fort Worth Bowl. Banowsky lacked the spine to tell TCU to go to the GMAC Bowl - which has the contractual right to pick second - or be done for the season. So instead of giving the Memphis players a glorious moment in front of the home crowd, the conference gave us the sight of men in suits making phone calls, trying to untangle the fiasco. "This is not right," said one of the men, the Liberty Bowl's Steve Ehrhart. "I was there three weeks ago when TCU said they'd be proud to play in any of the bowls. If this is supposed to be about the players, how can we do this?" Nice question. If you can answer that one, explain the BCS, won't you? Or just relax and join the Memphis fans, partying in the parking lot. It was quite a scene, men and women who have waited three decades, savoring the moment. The sweet scent of triumph filled the air. Along with ribs, pork loin, venison, goose and . . . "Road kill," said John Stacy. Road kill? "I hit a deer about 10 days ago." he said. "I hit it in Marshall County, and it landed in DeSoto County." Tough bounce for the deer, eh? From one grill to another. But we digress. From the cheery mood of the day, despite seven Memphis turnovers. Santa Claus showed up. So did Elvis. Actually, there were a half dozen fans dressed as Elvis, who together spelled out Tigers. One wore a "T" on his back. The next wore an "I." And so forth and so on, right through the six of them. They'd turn around, one by one. The crowd would scream out the letters. It was the last game of the year, and the Memphis bandwagon was still gaining members. Which is why the ending almost didn't matter. And why this season will always be one to savor. Memphis is 8-4 and bound for a bowl. Mediocrity has left the building. Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364; E-mail: calkins@commercialappeal.com. You can hear his radio show, "SportsTime with George Lapides and Geoff Calkins," from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on WHBQ-AM (560).

11/30/03		Mistake-Filled Loss Is Not The End (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 30, 2003 It was turn-back-the-clock day at the Liberty Bowl, only the University of Memphis wasn't wearing throw-back jerseys. There was no need. For the finale of this season, the program's best in three decades, the Tigers' offense reverted to its 2002 form to give South Florida a 21-16 victory. The Tigers lost three fumbles, and junior quarterback Danny Wimprine threw four interceptions. And it could have been worse: South Florida had 12 pass deflections, which means a Bulls defender got at least a hand on 16 of Wimprine's 51 passes. Wimprine's struggles had something to do with the two jerseys not on the field for the Tigers, specifically Nos. 20 and 1 that belong to running back DeAngelo Williams and receiver Maurice Avery, both of whom were unavailable because of injured knees. Even Wimprine alluded to the absence of the team's most talented playmakers, and U of M coach Tommy West, in rejecting that explanation, actually lent it some credence. Without Williams and Avery, the primary offensive players put too much pressure on themselves to make plays, and the mistakes began cascading. In other words, Memphis looked a lot like the 3-9 team from 2002 and much less like the 2003 bunch that carried an 8-3 record into Saturday. "We looked like a year ago offensively," West said. "We're trying to do things I haven't seen in awhile." But it was not the end of the world, or, put another way, the end of the season. Silver lining No. 1: Under Joe Lee Dunn, the defense is so good now that the Tigers had a chance until the very end, extending the agony for the 47,000 fans who bundled up to give their team a proper sendoff. That the Tigers somehow lost a game in which they outgained their opponent, 458-192, speaks to both the potential and the exasperation fans saw in the offense on Saturday. Williams's backup, Darren Parquet, rushed for 164 yards but lost two fumbles. Wimprine threw for 271 yards and two touchdowns, but reverted to making the kinds of poor throws and poor decisions that it seemed he had eliminated. "It makes me feel like crap," Wimprine said. Silver lining No. 2: The Tigers get a chance to regroup and try to go out a winner in whichever bowl increasingly irrelevant Conference USA finds for them. "I am excited about having the opportunity to correct those mistakes," said Tigers offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner. As to the Tigers' bowl destination, nobody had a final answer. Ron Maestri, the representative on hand for the New Orleans Bowl, had hoped to stand at midfield and extend an official invitation to his Dec. 16 game. Instead, he was one of three representatives of bowls feverishly working his cell phone from the field, trying to figure out what was going to happen with TCU, the C-USA program that announced it did not want to go to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., because of conflicts with exams. It created a frustrating situation for the Tigers. "Yeah, I am (frustrated), to be honest," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "They knew when their finals were when they signed the contract. They ought to honor the contract." If the offense doesn't start playing better, the Tigers could be in trouble, no matter the destination. North Texas, C-USA's opponent in New Orleans, has the nation's No. 1 rusher in Patrick Cobbs, and Miami-Ohio, the opponent in Mobile, could be ranked in the Top 10 of the BCS if it wins Thursday's MAC championship game. "(Losing) is a horrible feeling, and we'd have to sit with it the rest of the fall and Christmas and all spring and summer," Fichtner said. "Now we can see why we made the mistakes and work to get it corrected." It has been such a remarkable season in Tigerland that not even a bowl-game loss or two-game losing streak to end the season would diminish the newfound enthusiasm for football. But if the Tigers want to enter 2004 with the credibility of a Top 25 team, they must perform well in whatever bowl comes their way, with or without Williams and Avery. "I don't want to put it on that, that's a crutch," West said. "I'm not looking for crutches. I'm looking for wins." Contact reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564; E-mail: zmcmillin@commercialappeal.com

11/30/03		Balance Pays Off As Tigers Pound Govs (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 30, 2003 What a difference a year - not to mention a remarkably healthy and totally eligible team - makes. The University of Memphis dressed 10 players this time around. So if you're looking for a reason why the Tigers avenged last season's loss to Austin Peay with an 84-70 victory over the Govs Saturday night, it's best to start right there. "Yeah, yeah,'' said junior Anthony Rice, confirming the above with two identical sounds. ''We knew this game was going to be different than the last.'' And it was, especially given that the final moments of regulation were classified as garbage time and only relevant for the guys in Las Vegas with Austin Peay plus 11. By then, Rice had already poured in a team-high 16 points to go with his impressive seven rebounds from the shooting guard position. His backcourt mate, Antonio Burks, had already finished with 13 points and two assists while Rodney Carney and Sean Banks had each added 12 points to put four Tigers in double-figures. By the way, that number is only two less than the total amount of scholarship players the U of M (2-1) had available in last season's overtime loss to Austin Peay (1-2). And the balanced effort was a factor in Memphis holding a double-digit advantage for the final 11:20 of this meeting and sending the estimated crowd of 7,500 home from The Pyramid with a far different feeling. ''They're a good team, an NCAA Tournament team,'' said Burks, who battled foul trouble throughout and played an unusually low 23 minutes. ''They fought back in the first half and showed how good they were. But in the second half we put them away.'' Put them away despite Carney missing shots he normally makes. Put them away despite Banks struggling from the field. Put them away despite the two centers - Duane Erwin and Ivan Lopez - combining for just two buckets against a less-than-imposing frontcourt opposition. Which, in many ways, speaks volumes about these Tigers. Coming into this game, the U of M's top two scorers and arguably most vital performers were Carney and Burks. Against Austin Peay, neither was at his best with the former missing 12-of-17 shots and the latter just trying not to foul out. So what happened? Memphis turned to Rice, whose personal 7-0 run - which featured a four-point play - early in the second half gave the U of M a lead it never relinquished. He sank 3-of-5 three-pointers, all in the final 20 minutes, and gave credence to the theory that when a team has multiple above-average shooters it's rare all of them go cold on the same night. ''That's right,'' Rice said. ''And that's the key to this team. We don't have just one, main shooter. There's a lot of guys on this team who can shoot. So you can't just shut down one guy on this team and win.'' Though they didn't do much offensively, it would be wrong to think Erwin and Lopez weren't productive. Both finished with 10 rebounds. And if they approach that number in that category with any sort of consistency, coach John Calipari will have the post presence he desires and the U of M should have a team on its way back to the NCAA Tournament. ''If both of them can get 10 boards a game, it's going to be really tough to beat us,'' said sophomore Jeremy Hunt, who was solid in his season debut in collecting eight points, five rebounds and three assists. ''And if some of those are offensive rebounds, then they can just kick them out and we can shoot a three or drive and score. "And that can really hurt a team if we do that after they've already played good defense on us.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/30/03		Tigers Postgame (Austin Peay) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game With just under 16:00 left, Anthony Rice got the ball on the left wing and drained a three. But the junior didn't see it fall through the net because he was lying on his back, having been fouled by Austin Peay's Maurice Hampton. Rice sank the ensuing free throw to give Memphis a 42-36 lead. After that, the Tigers never led by fewer than three points again. Stat of the game After struggling from the line during the first two games and being chastised by their coach in Friday's practice because of it, the Tigers showed drastic improvement on free throws against Austin Peay. Memphis hit its first 10 attempts Saturday night and finished 20-of-29 for the game. Freshman Sean Banks buried the most, hitting 8-of-11. In a related note, Rodney Carney didn't shoot any free throws despite taking a game-high 17 shots. Trends We probably won't know if it's for real until Arthur Johnson and Missouri visit The Pyramid in December. But Saturday marked the second consecutive game that Duane Erwin snagged double-digit rebounds. Against Fordham on Nov. 22, the junior from Huntsville, Ala., had 18 boards. He backed that with 10 against Austin Peay, with all 10 coming in the first half. X's and O's Despite working on a zone defense all week for at least a few minutes each practice, the Tigers stuck predominantly to a man-to-man approach against Austin Peay. ''When you're playing a team that's going to shoot threes like this team, you don't want to play zone,'' coach John Calipari explained. Odds and ends Anybody who knows anything about Calipari knows how much he loves a player to dive on the floor for a loose ball. Which is exactly what Antonio Burks did with barely eight minutes into the game. Only problem was he got whistled for a foul, his second of the contest, and had to sit down. ''I shouldn't have dove for that ball,'' Burks said. ''But then they would've said I wasn't hustling. So either way, I can't win. But I still have to take the yelling.'' After starting against Fordham, Modibo Diarra did not play against Austin Peay. Neither did fellow Mali native Almamy Thiero, which shows just how active Erwin and Ivan Lopez were. ''I thought Duane Erwin and Ivan Lopez played well,'' Calipari said. ''I thought Ivan did some good things, which is what we wanted to see. Ivan probably has more ability to score around the basket than (Erwin) does, but (Erwin) is very active and went after a lot of balls today. That is all he has to do for us.'' What's next Memphis plays the third game of a three-game homestand Wednesday night against UT-Martin at The Pyramid. The Skyhawks are led by former Hamilton High standout Justin Williams. - By Gary Parrish

11/30/03		Tigers Persevere Despite A Lack Of Consistency (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 30, 2003 The Tigers were ahead by 16 points midway through the second half. Austin Peay had called timeout and University of Memphis student Nick Johnson, from his seat behind the Tigers bench, was doing what students do: Having a little fun with an official. "Welmer!" Johnson shouted to veteran official Steve Welmer, "you owe me one call!" Being a good guy, the zebra played along: "Tonight or later?" "I'll take it later," Johnson said. At which point Welmer pointed toward his head, as if to tell the fan, "Smart, save it for a close game." Saturday night's game at The Pyramid, of course, wasn't a close game. The Tigers won 74-60, and had they been able to sustain their concentration and had the discipline to pass on some quick jump shots, they could have won by 25. Not that winning by 25 is everything. After all, not even the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee is as smitten with numbers, computers and margin of victory as the La La Land that is college football. Then again, why not win by 25 if you can win by 25? The Tigers went on a 19-2 run early in the game, yet the score was tied, 32-32, at halftime. They stretched the lead to 22 with less than seven minutes to play, yet it was down to 10 with under three minues to play. "That's just something we have to work on - being consistent," said Tigers guard Anthony Rice. Which explains why the first thing coach John Calipari said afterward was that he was amazed at the way his team was able to "burst out and play . . . and then just let it go." It was as though after each big run the Tigers couldn't take their foot off the accelerator and control the game at a slower pace. They just kept flying up and down the court. "They think you continue to shoot quick shots," said Calipari, who calmly singled out Rodney Carney (5-of-17) and Sean Banks (2-of-10) for being fast on the draw on a night when the team shot just 37.1 percent. "So you make a couple. You can't keep just going to the well like that." No, if you're going to keep going to the well, every coach in the world - and especially this one - will tell you to go to a different well: to the rebounding well, to the hustle well. That's the well that never runs dry; that's the ultimate point-giving well. And there were certainly some examples of that Saturday with Banks and Duane Erwin each grabbing 10 rebounds and Ivan Lopez, the 6-8 freshman from Puerto Rico, debuting with seven points and seven rebounds (five offensive boards). "I'm just doing my work," Lopez said. "Every time, I run to the basket. I need to get better on offensive rebounds, too." Perhaps the best news from this game is that you get the feeling Lopez will get better. He's more athletic than Erwin and seems to have a little longer mean streak. "He made a presence in the post," said Rice. "And Red (Erwin) also did a good job rebounding." In fact, all the Tigers did a good job rebounding from the late first-half lapse that sent them into the locker room with the score tied, which was an unsettling development given the one-point win Austin Peay snuck out of here last year against a Tigers split squad. So, had this game gone the way of that game and gotten close at the end, well, Tiger fan Nick Johnson would have had to reconsider. He would have had to tell the official that he'd take that call - wink, wink - sooner rather than later. Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercialappeal.com

11/30/03		Lady Tigers Jump First Hurdle With Classic Title (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 30, 2003 Before the season the Memphis Lady Tigers wrote down a goal of winning the program's 12th straight Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. It wasn't easy. They trailed by 11 at halftime, but the Lady Tigers made that goal of another Thanksgiving Classic title come true after a 69-63 victory over Ole Miss Saturday night in front of 903 fans at Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Nebraska won the consolation game, 78-75, over Eastern Kentucky in the first game. "That is the first goal we wrote down for this year," said Memphis coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "I told them in the locker room this is about passion. It is about writing that goal down and believing you can do it. In the first half everything was going against us. I'm really proud of how we rallied and played with focus in the second half to win." Tamika Butler had 21 points, including five 3-pointers in the second half, and Jennifer Sullivan added 19 points to keep the Lady Tigers (4-0) unbeaten on the season. Ole Miss (3-2) was unable to win its fourth straight. "In the final minutes we just made too many mistakes and you can't do that against Memphis," Lady Rebel coach Carol Ross said. "We didn't play smart in the end and our lack of rebounding really hurt us. We'll have to get better." Ole Miss built a 33-22 halftime lead thanks to tough defensive play in a half that saw both teams struggle shooting. The Lady Rebels shot 34 percent from the field on 11-of-32, while the Lady Tigers were 29 percent on 9-of-31. The Lady Rebels had nine steals in the first half and had 17 points off turnovers. But the Lady Tigers turned the tide with an 18-0 run to open the second half, building a 40-33 advantage with 15:18 left. "We hit a couple of buckets and got on a roll," Lee-McNelis said. "Once we got going offensively then our defense created our transition baskets." Jennifer Soso hit two 3-pointers and Sullivan scored eight points during the run. Sullivan earned Most Valuable Player honors on the all-tournament team along with Butler. Other all-tournament members were: Kaite Kelly of Eastern Kentucky, Margaret Richards of Nebraska, and Armintie Price of Ole Miss, who led the Lady Rebels with 22 points and 15 rebounds against the U of M. The next goal for the Lady Tigers is to keep rolling when they travel to Austin Peay for a game Wednesday at 7 p.m. "Last year we were 4-0," Lee-McNelis said. "Every year a team that has played in this tournament championship game has been in the NCAA. Last year we beat Michigan State here and then we lost four of our next five. We've got to make a commitment to go further."

11/30/03		Tiger Recruit Wows Future Fans -- Style Brings Win And Grins (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact November 30, 2003 Darius Washington didn't need long to develop a rapport with his future fans. The Orlando Edgewater senior and University of Memphis basketball signee was in town Saturday afternoon for the Turkey Day Classic at The Pyramid. Washington, a 6-0 guard regarded as one of the nation's top 20 players, scored 27 points and handed out eight assists in Edgewater's 75-56 victory over Hamilton. In the second game, sophomore Thaddeus Young scored 28 points as Mitchell slowed things down in a 53-49 win over Lithonia (Ga.). But it was Washington's effusive on-court style, not to mention the dialogue he kept up with some of the 300 or so fans, which stole the show. His exaltations after each assist, and his bemused smile after being assessed a technical foul, provided a glimpse of what the U of M can look forward to next season. "What time is it? What time is it?" Washington inquired of some spectators after hitting two straight 3-pointers. "I'll tell you what time it is. It's 2:30," retorted one fan. "I'd say it's time for you to show us something," replied another. Washington, wearing "D 35 W" wristbands - for his initials and uniform number - was teased when he was sent to the bench because his jersey wasn't tucked in, and again when he missed a dunk. "It was very exciting playing here. The fans got a little taste of next year," Washington said. "There were some people telling me I wasn't any good, but some were giving me my props. They wanted to see their team win, and I respect that. . . . It was good-natured stuff and we all had fun with it." U of M coach John Calipari was suitably impressed after watching Washington spark a 26-5 second-half run by Edgewater that blew open what had been a close game. Edgewater (1-0) is ranked No. 1 in the National Prep Poll. "I love his demeanor on the court," Calipari said. "We're looking for that right now. I tell my guys, 'The emotion, enthusiasm and passion you play with is your responsibility, not mine.' He plays like that." Washington showed poise against Hamilton's tight box-and-one defense, looking to pass first. His five first-half points came on free throws. "In the ninth grade I would have gone crazy," Washington said. "Now I've learned to be patient." Joseph Watkins scored 18 points for Hamilton (2-3 and ranked No. 4 in The Dandy Dozen). But the Wildcats, who led by one late in the third, were just 18-of-32 from the free-throw line. "I think we gave up. I think we laid down," coach Ted Anderson said. Equaling Washington's all-around performance was Mitchell's Young, a 6-8 sophomore at ease both shooting threes and slamming home rebounds. When Young picked up his fourth foul early in the fourth quarter, No. 10 Mitchell (3-2) sat on the ball for three minutes, and then again for two minutes after he fouled out. "That was a blast from the past," Tigers coach Jerry Johnson said. "People don't believe in doing that, but I had to do it because of foul trouble." The event was originally billed as a showcase for three top-100 U of M signees. But Hamilton star Shawne Williams, who's being held out for academic reasons, watched from the bench. And Lithonia's Robert Dozier, who scored 10 points in the loss to Mitchell, decided not to sign during the early signing period. "I was nervous at first about coming here. I ain't gonna lie," Dozier said. "But once I stepped on the court I relaxed." Dozier, a 6-8 wing, said he still might sign with the U of M but wants to visit Georgia and Cincinnati. Arizona also has gotten into the picture, Lithonia coach Lewis Jones said. "My gut feeling was just to wait," Dozier said. - Jim Masilak: 529-2311

11/29/03		Memphis Tops Austin Peay, 74-60 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Anthony Rice scored 16 points, including 12 in the second half Saturday night, in leading Memphis to a 74-60 victory over Austin Peay. Rice was one of four Tigers in double figures as Memphis dominated the game after a late first-half run by the Governors tied the contest at the break. Memphis (2-1) built the lead to 22 points with just under seven minutes to play and never was really threatened down the stretch. The Governors (1-2) made a small run with 12 straight points but could never get the margin under double digits. Memphis maintained at least a 10-point lead for the final 11:20. Rice connected on 6 of his 10 shots from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Antonio Burks added 13 points, including seven straight midway through the second half. Rodney Carney and Sean Banks scored 12 points each for the Tigers, and Banks grabbed 10 rebounds, matching Duane Erwin's 10 boards for team honors. Adrian Henning led the Governors with 18 points, while Josh Lewis finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Austin Peay closed the half with a 19-3 run to tie the game 32-32 at the break. Henning had 10 points in the half for Austin Peay, but it was long-range shots from Corey Gipson, Maurice Hampton and Fernandez Lockett in the final minutes that brought Austin Peay back even. Memphis had a 19-2 run, including 14 straight, early in the game as Austin Peay went more than seven minutes without scoring. The Tigers eventually built the lead to 29-13 before Austin Peay made its run. Banks had 9 points, but Erwin had 10 of Memphis' 21 first-half rebounds. The teams exchanged leads early in the second half until a 13-0 run put the Tigers up 58-42. Neither team shot well -- Memphis hitting 37 percent and Austin Peay shooting 38 percent. Both were 8-of-22 from long range.

11/29/03		Lady Tigers Capture 12th Straight Classic Title With Win Over Ole Miss (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team captured its 12th-consecutive Lady Tiger Basketball Classic championship with a 69-63 comeback victory over Ole Miss Saturday at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Sophomore Tamika Butler had 16 of her team-high 21 points in the second half as the Lady Tigers erased an 11-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Rebels 47-30 after intermission. Butler hit five of her career-high six three-pointers in the second half as Memphis nailed 8-of-13 attempts after going just 1-for-11 in the opening 20 minutes from behind the arc. Tournament MVP Jennifer Sullivan had seven points during an 18-0 Lady Tiger run to start the second half that put Memphis ahead for the first time in the contest. With Memphis leading 40-33, the Rebels answered with a 16-4 run to reclaim the lead at 49-44 despite hitting just one field goal in the opening 10:26 of the second half. The teams' traded mini-runs before Memphis finally pulled away as Butler caught fire from behind the three-point line nailing a trio of three pointers during an 11-2 run that gave the Lady Tigers' a 63-59 lead with 1:45 remaining. After making their first 12 free throw attempts in the second half, the Rebels missed four of eight from the stripe in the final 1:30. Memphis held Ole Miss to just 23.3 percent shooting from the floor in the second half and to 29 percent for the game. Guard Armentie Price did her best to keep the Rebels in the game as she went 6-for-12 from the floor and made all 10 of her free throw attempts to finish with a game-high 22 points. Price was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts. Memphis overcame field goal droughts of 7:08, 6:09 and 3:46 to secure its fourth-straight win to open the season. Also joining Butler, Sullivan and Price on the all-tournament team were Eastern Kentucky's Katie Kelly and Nebraska's Margaret Richards. The Huskers defeated EKU, 78-75, in the consolation game to claim third place. The Lady Tigers return to action Wednesday when they travel to Clarksville, Tenn., to take on Austin Peay. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.

11/29/03		Tigers Fall To South Florida, 21-16 (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)- J.R. Reed scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and a 45-yard fumble recovery in the third quarter Saturday as South Florida capitalized on Memphis turnovers to defeat the bowl-bound Tigers 21-16. Reed's touchdowns erased a 7-0 Memphis halftime lead as the Tigers self-destructed with seven turnovers. In addition to the two touchdowns, Reed had three interceptions, a South Florida record for a single game. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Memphis (8-4, 5-3 Conference USA), which is still expected to receive its first bowl invitation since the 1971 Pasadena Bowl. The Bulls (6-5, 4-4) got very little going offensively with only 192 yards, including a mere 25 rushing. But Reed's defense and returns fueled South Florida's second half rally. Reed's three interceptions also tied a C-USA record. South Florida's only offensive touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter when DeJuan Green scored from 4 yards out. The drive was set up by Reed's interception return to the Tiger 14. The touchdown gave the Bulls a 21-10 lead. A 9-yard TD pass from Danny Wimprine to Ryan Scott with 4:27 to play was as close as Memphis could get. Wimprine would end the day with two touchdown passes, but also four interceptions. The Tigers lost three fumbles. Memphis played without leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, the nation's leader in all-purpose yards, who injured his left knee a week ago. The Tigers also were without leading receiver Maurice Avery, also out with a knee injury. The mistakes that plagued Memphis throughout the day kept the Tigers from having a bigger advantage at halftime. The Tigers crossed midfield on five series in the first two quarters, but managed only a 36-yard scoring pass from Wimprine to Darron White in the first quarter. Otherwise, Memphis suffered from interceptions, a pair of fumbles, including one at the South Florida 12, and a missed 46-yard field goal. Reed's 96-yard touchdown run to open the second half evened the game at 7-7. His fumble recovery would come with just over eight minutes left in the third.

11/29/03		Bowl-Bound Tigers Fall To S. Florida (Commercial Appeal)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - J.R. Reed scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and a 45-yard fumble recovery in the third quarter Saturday as South Florida capitalized on Memphis turnovers to defeat the bowl-bound Tigers 21-16. Reed's touchdowns erased a 7-0 Memphis halftime lead as the Tigers self-destructed with seven turnovers. In addition to the two touchdowns, Reed had three interceptions, a South Florida record for a single game. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Memphis (8-4, 5-3 Conference USA), which is still expected to receive its first bowl invitation since the 1971 Pasadena Bowl. The Bulls (6-5, 4-4) got very little going offensively with only 192 yards, including a mere 25 rushing. But Reed's defense and returns fueled South Florida's second half rally. Reed's three interceptions also tied a C-USA record. South Florida's only offensive touchdown came on the first play of the fourth quarter when DeJuan Green scored from 4 yards out. The drive was set up by Reed's interception return to the Tiger 14. The touchdown gave the Bulls a 21-10 lead. A 9-yard TD pass from Danny Wimprine to Ryan Scott with 4:27 to play was as close as Memphis could get. Wimprine would end the day with two touchdown passes, but also four interceptions. The Tigers lost three fumbles. Memphis played without leading rusher DeAngelo Williams, the nation's leader in all-purpose yards, who injured his left knee a week ago. The Tigers also were without leading receiver Maurice Avery, also out with a knee injury. The mistakes that plagued Memphis throughout the day kept the Tigers from having a bigger advantage at halftime. The Tigers crossed midfield on five series in the first two quarters, but managed only a 36-yard scoring pass from Wimprine to Darron White in the first quarter. Otherwise, Memphis suffered from interceptions, a pair of fumbles, including one at the South Florida 12, and a missed 46-yard field goal. Reed's 96-yard touchdown run to open the second half evened the game at 7-7. His fumble recovery would come with just over eight minutes left in the third.

11/29/03		Tigers' Streak Fuels Fan Excitement (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 29, 2003 The GMAC Bowl or the New Orleans Bowl? For a football team that hasn't gone to the postseason since 1971, the University of Memphis isn't going to be choosy. The Tigers complete their most successful season in 30 years today at 1 p.m. against South Florida at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Then they'll wait for their invitation, one some long-suffering Tiger fans thought would never come. The Tigers (8-3 overall, 5-2 in Conference USA) have made themselves attractive to the C-USA-affiliated bowls for several reasons, among them the breakout season, a creative, high-scoring offense and a fan following that ranks first in the league. U of M officials are expecting a crowd that should surpass 45,000 and could approach 50,000. If the Liberty Bowl crowd surpasses 45,489, the Tigers will set a single-season attendance mark, breaking the record of 281,966 set in 1976. They'll also set a record for highest single-season average, topping the 40,280 mark that has stood for 27 years. Memphis has only averaged 40,000 or more in a season once. Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson has often said that if the football program ever became successful, 40,000 home crowds would be routine. And while it appears his prophecy has come to fruition, Johnson tempers this initial rush to the box office. "In all fairness, we've had huge numbers of discounted tickets," Johnson said. "I'd like to say it was 42,000 full-paid tickets in there (last weekend against Cincinnati), but it wasn't. We've had all sorts of promotions and we'll have (10,000 today) for FedEx Appreciation Day. "But I think this has been good because people here are excited about watching this team." Their excitement has been fueled by a spread offense that's averaging 32 points and 453 yards, and a Joe Lee Dunn-directed defense that has gotten stronger and more entertaining as the season has unfolded. Quarterback Danny Wimprine has thrown 19 touchdown passes against nine interceptions and is averaging 241 yards passing. His top two playmakers - running back DeAngelo Williams and receiver Maurice Avery - won't play today because of a torn knee ligaments suffered the past two weeks. Williams and Avery have combined for 24 touchdowns and nearly 3,000 all-purpose yards. Defensively, the Tigers have held their past three opponents to fewer than 60 rushing yards, in addition to coming up with one big play after another. The Tigers returned interceptions for touchdowns against Houston, Tulane and Louisville, and used defensive back Wesley Smith's 36-yard interception return against Cincinnati to set up a late, game-winning touchdown. The offensive/defensive combination has the Tigers on a roll. Memphis enters the game against South Florida (6-4, 4-3) on a five-game win streak. The reward for the players has been an energy and noise level at the Liberty Bowl that they haven't experienced. Entering this fall, the Tigers hadn't had a winning season in eight years. "We knew it would be like this once we starting winning," said senior linebacker Coot Terry, who will be playing his final home game. "We just got it done. It's a great thing for the university to see a lot of people coming out . . . student-wise and around the city. "It's known as a basketball city, but (last) Saturday was amazing to see 42,000 people in the stands. And they weren't just sitting there. They were screaming and getting into the game." Ranked first in C-USA in total defense (301.4 yards allowed per game), South Florida will offer a defensive challenge, one that could be stronger without Williams and Avery in the Memphis lineup. But the momentum the Tigers have generated, and the raucous crowd they could attract, may be the trump cards. "We are the group that came in and turned it around. We've been here for four years struggling, trying to make a change, and we finally did it. And the crowds have been fantastic. They have supported us more than ever," said senior receiver Darren Garcia, a Millington High product. Defensive lineman Eric Taylor said one of the most rewarding aspects of the rising attendance figures has been the content of the crowd. "It used to be that against Ole Miss or Tennessee we'd get the kind of crowd we got last weekend," he said. "We haven't had 42,000 for a conference game in a long, long time. I think if this program continues to win, fans from Memphis might show up not because it's a big game against an SEC school, but because Memphis is playing."

11/29/03		APSU's Returnees Face Stouter Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 29, 2003 As likeable a guy as Nathaniel Root was, it was never a good sign when he was on the court in a close game. Even worse, when he was on the court in a close game late. Even worse than that, when he was on the court in a close game late shooting a three to determine whether the University of Memphis won or lost. But that was the scenario last season when Austin Peay visited Memphis. And though Govs coach Dave Loos still counts the upset as one of his most memorable victories - it came against his alma mater, you know? - he isn't so silly as to overlook the unusual circumstances that contributed to it. ''Last year's game was all about timing,'' Loos acknowledged. ''I understand that.'' Tonight at 7 Austin Peay (1-1) and Memphis (1-1) will meet again at The Pyramid. That the Tigers will have more than six scholarship players available means they'll be in better shape than last November. Antonio Burks. Jeremy Hunt. Chris Massie. Billy Richmond. Almamy Thiero. That's a list of five recruited athletes who played some for the Tigers last season but weren't even in uniform against Austin Peay for one reason or another. Consequently, Root started at the point and played 26 ridiculous minutes, Earl Barron got 26 ridiculous shots and Patrick Byrne - a football player who barely plays - made an appearance and threw a ridiculous inbounds pass at the end of regulation. Forty-five basketball minutes after tip-off, Austin Peay left with an 81-80 victory. It marked the first time the Govs had won on the U of M's court in a series that dates to 1937 and erased any joy still lingering from the Tigers' season-opening victory over Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse. ''We were under-manned, and we didn't play the way we were supposed to play,'' said Memphis sophomore Rodney Carney. ''We didn't have any intensity or any anything. We were shorthanded, and we didn't show up.'' That's a pretty accurate assessment. But tonight should be different as the Tigers dress a team full of contributors and leave the shirts and ties to the coaching staff. Hunt, a sophomore combo guard from Craigmont High, is back after preseason foot surgery that's kept him sidelined for a couple of months. He'll be joined in uniform by Ivan Lopez, a native of Puerto Rico who has finished a two-game NCAA suspension levied because of his participation in an unsanctioned summer league. That means the Tigers will dress a season-high 10 players. And though there is no debating Hunt is the more dynamic of the first-timers, Lopez may have the bigger impact because whereas the Tigers are loaded with guards, post players with an aggressive style come at a premium with this team. Therefore, Lopez - a freshman who in Friday's practice showed no ill effects of a bad hamstring - and his relentless attitude will likely get plenty of minutes in relief of Duane Erwin, who is coming off an 18-rebound effort against Fordham a week ago. ''I'm gonna do my job,'' Lopez said matter-of-factly. ''My hamstring is like 90, 95 percent. So now I'm ready to go and excited about my first game.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/29/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Austin Peay (Commercial Appeal)
		TV, radio: WLMT-TV (30), 7 p.m.; WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. When, where: Today, 7 p.m., at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis 1-1; Austin Peay 1-1 Series standing: Memphis leads, 11-4. Latest line: Memphis by 12. Notables: Before last season's home loss, the Tigers had won three straight in the series against Austin Peay by an average of 22.7 points. . . . Tonight is the third of four games Austin Peay will play in a span of eight days to open the season. It began last Monday with a win over Knoxville College and will end this Monday with a game against Evansville. . . . Through two games the Tigers are averaging 11.5 made 3-pointers per contest. At that pace, Memphis will make more than 300 threes this season, which would shatter the school record of 210 that was set last year. . . . If Austin Peay loses, it will drop to below .500 for the first time since the end of the 2001-2002 season. . . . The Tigers have an all-time record of 91-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. They played two OVC schools last season - Austin Peay and Murray State - and went 1-1 in those contests. . . . Austin Peay returns all five starters and its top eight players from last season's team that went 23-8 and played Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Govs began the season with a blowout win over Knoxville College. They backed that with a disappointing loss to Belmont two days later. . . . With 281 career wins, Austin Peay's Dave Loos, who played at Memphis, ranks 49th among active Division 1 coaches. . . . Ridgeway High graduate Adrian Henning and Josh Lewis are two Austin Peay standouts selected preseason All-OVC. . . . This should be a challenging month for the Govs. After playing at Memphis, they travel to Alabama (Dec. 6), Louisville (Dec. 20) and Kentucky (Dec. 31). TEAM COMPARISONS U of M APSU FG percentage .418 .504 Opp. Percentage .372 .369 FT percentage .537 .759 3-point percentage .418 .342 Opp. Percentage .383 .310 Rebounds 53.0 37.0 Opp. Rebounds 38.0 28.5 Points for 85.0 77.5 Points against 74.5 51.5 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis P Yr. Ht. Pts. Antonio Burks G Sr. 6-0 16.5 Anthony Rice G Jr. 6-4 14.0 Rodney Carney F So. 6-7 21.0 Sean Banks F Fr. 6-8 12.5 Duane Erwin C Jr. 6-9 7.0 Austin Peay P Yr. Ht. Pts. Corey Gipson G Sr. 6-1 10.0 Anthony Davis G Jr. 6-2 14.0 Rhet Wierzba G Sr. 6-5 4.5 Adrian Henning F Sr. 6-6 10.0 Josh Lewis C Sr. 6-8 12.0

11/29/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Austin Peay) (Commercial Appeal)
		Can Red do it again: Against Fordham a week ago, Duane 'Red' Erwin played the best game of his career, snatching 18 rebounds in a Tiger win. As long as Erwin approaches that kind of effort, Memphis will be tough to beat. Meanwhile, having another dominant game in the paint tonight will go a long way in creating confidence for Erwin as the Tigers prepare for a trip to Ole Miss next week. Force turnovers: In a loss to Belmont earlier this week, Austin Peay wasn't good with the ball, turning it over 17 times, with Adrian Henning responsible for eight. Therefore, it stands to reason that the U of M's press could give the Govs problems. If the Tigers can force 15-20 turnovers and turn them into easy transition baskets, they should improve to 2-1 this season. Take advantage of mid-major size: For the second straight game Memphis is playing a team that is less than imposing in the paint. At this point, that's the best recipe for success for the Tigers, which means Erwin, Ivan Lopez, Modibo Diarra and Almamy Thiero need to create some sort of post presence to ensure Memphis doesn't have to rely strictly on jumpers. Any of those guys reaching 10 rebounds will likely guarantee victory. - By Gary Parrish

11/29/03		Lady Tigers Rev It Up Over EKU (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 29, 2003 Three games into the season it is clear the Memphis Lady Tigers are very comfortable when running. "We like to get out and run, and we are usually really successful when we do that," said junior Jennifer Sullivan. "We got out on the break tonight and it really made it possible for me to have some nice opportunities." Sullivan took advantage with 20 points to lead all scorers in the Lady Tigers' 78-65 win over Eastern Kentucky Friday in the first round of the Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The Memphis (3-0) win over Eastern Kentucky (1-2) sends the Lady Tigers into the second round to face Ole Miss (3-1), who won 69-66 over Nebraska (2-1), following the consolation game at 5 p.m. today. The Lady Tigers led throughout the game against EKU, including a 45-23 advantage at halftime. After shooting 47.5 percent in the first half, they cooled a bit in the second to finish at 41.7 percent, as EKU, which was picked to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference, made a run before 802 fans at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. "This was a good win for us," said Lady Tiger coach Joye-Lee McNelis. "This is a team that won 18 games last year, so we did a good job." Sullivan had her second career-high scoring night in the past two U of M games. Her 17 points early in the week at Tennessee Tech was bested by the 20 on 8-of-14 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line against Eastern Kentucky. McNelis was pleased with Sullivan's effort and the defense the Lady Tigers showed early. EKU was held to 9-of-31 shooting in the first half, but was able to heat up in the second half to close the gap. The Lady Colonels cut the Lady Tiger lead to nine points when Ashleigh Huffman drilled a 3-pointer with 1:30 left. U of M's Jordie Soso hit two free throws to push the advantage to 76-65 at 1:11. Sullivan finished things with two free throws with 17 seconds to go. "They jumped on us early," EKU coach Larry Joe Inman said. "Their break hurt us in the first half, and we were able to slow them down some in the second half and make it closer. (Memphis) has a good team that is very balanced." After Sullivan, Tamika Butler had 14 points for the Lady Tigers, and Raven Rogers added 12. Nine of the 10 U of M players who saw action in the game scored. And for the first time since the 2000-01 season, Memphis had six or more players total five or more rebounds. Soso, Princess Swilley, Victoria Crawford and Rogers all totaled six boards apiece, and Megan Gooch had five. McNelis was pleased the Lady Tigers were able to outrebound EKU (51-34). She wasn't quite as pleased with the 18 U of M turnovers.

11/28/03		Lady Tigers Looking For 12th Tourney Championship (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis women's basketball team is in position to win their 12th straight Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic after advancing to the championship round with a 78-65 win over Eastern Kentucky at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse Friday evening. The Lady Tigers, which improved to 3-0 with the victory, will play Ole Miss in the title game on Saturday at 7 p.m. Eastern Kentucky will face Nebraska in the consolation game to be played at 5 p.m. "This was a very good win for us," said coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "I was concerned early on about playing Eastern Kentucky in the first round because I knew they were a very seasoned group and finished last season with an 18-11 record. "Our biggest concern was their point guard Laura Shelton, and I thought Princess (Swilley) did a phenomenal defensive job on her. She (Shelton) is a very good player. "I don't think we focused this much on a single player since we played Houston and tried to hold Chandi Jones, who was the league's Player of the Year, below her scoring average," added McNelis. Junior Jennifer Sullivan recorded her second straight career-high scoring effort with 20 points against EKU. Sullivan tallied a new career high of 17 points in Monday's win over Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. Against EKU, Sullivan was 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-6 from the charity stripe. She also hauled in a team-high seven rebounds, and totaled an assist and a blocked shot. Sullivan is the second Lady Tiger already this season to hit the 20-point mark, as junior Victoria Crawford totaled 23 points in the season opener against Maryland-Eastern Shore. "Everybody played a huge part in this win," said McNelis. "We had solid balance in scoring. The biggest plus was Jennifer (Sullivan) who scored 20 points and had seven rebounds. That is huge for her. You also have to look at Princess who had nine assists and only one turnover. Nine assists is 20 points. When you look at 20 points, and the eight she scored, she played a part in 28 of our points. That is a huge plus for us." Sophomore Tamika Butler and junior Raven Rogers also scored in double digits with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Butler, who set a new career high earlier in the week against TTU with five treys, was held in check from behind the arc with just one three pointer. Senior Princess Swilley led the offense with a career-high nine assists. Her previous career high was six, which she totaled once as a junior and once as a sophomore. For the second time this season, five or more Lady Tigers hauled in five or more rebounds as Memphis outrebounded the Lady Colonels, 51-34. Seniors Jordie Soso and Princess Swilley, Crawford, and Rogers all totaled six boards apiece, while freshman Megan Gooch posted five boards. This was the first time since the 2000-01 season that Memphis had six or more players total five or more rebounds a game. That last opponent was Eastern Kentucky in the first game of the Rice Tournament. In that game, eight Lady Tigers managed five or more rebounds as Memphis outrebounded the Lady Colonels, 62-35. The Lady Tigers took to the locker room with a 45-23 lead after holding EKU to just 29 percent shooting (9-of-31) from the field. The 22-point cushion was just enough to help the Lady Tigers remain unbeaten this year, as EKU shot 55.6 percent (15-of-27) in the second half to outscore the Lady Tigers, 42-33. The Lady Colonels opened the second half with an 8-0 run as Memphis missed their first seven shots of the half in a drought that lasted just under five minutes. Memphis managed to force EKU to turn the ball over 25 times in the game, scoring 23 points off the turnovers. Memphis finished the game with 41.7 percent (30-of-72) from the field, and struggled from the line, hitting just half of their 28 charity shots. Katie Kelly led EKU in scoring with 14 points off a 4-of-10 effort from the field and a 5-of-7 effort from the line. Kelly, who also led her squad with three steals, was the only Lady Colonel to score in double digits. Laura Shelton, who came into the game with a 14.0 points per game average, was held to just four points. Kelly and Pam Garrett led EKU with five boards apiece.

11/28/03		Memphis Basketball Game Notes (Austin Peay) (GoTigersGo.com)
		GAMEDAY INFORMATION MATCH-UP - Austin Peay (1-1, 0-0 OVC) vs. Memphis (1-1, 0-0 C-USA) TIPOFF - 7:00 pm (CT), Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003 SITE - The Pyramid (20,004), Memphis, Tenn. RADIO INFORMATION - WMC-AM 790 will broadcast the game with Dave Woloshin (play-by-play) and Matt Dillon (analyst) calling the action. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the World Wide Web at the U of M athletics site, www.goTIGERSgo.com TELEVISION - WLMT/UPN 30 will televise Saturday's game with Greg Gaston (play-by-play) and Jon Albright (analyst) calling the action. This is the ninth-straight year WLMT has televised Memphis Tiger basketball. THE SERIES - Saturday's contest will mark the 15th meeting between Memphis and Austin Peay. Memphis leads the all-time series 11-4. WHAT'S NEXT - Memphis wraps up its three-game homestand Wednesday, Dec. 3 against Tennessee-Martin at The Pyramid. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT). TIGER TIPOFF The Memphis Tiger basketball team continues its three-game homestand Saturday against Austin Peay at The Pyramid. The U of M bounced back after its season-opening setback to 20/No. 21 Wake Forest with a 94-64 win over Fordham in the Tigers' home opener Nov. 22. The Governors come into Saturday's game with a 1-1 record after dropping a narrow 68-65 decision at Belmont Nov. 26. Austin Peay won its season opener Nov. 24 with a 90-35 victory over Knoxville College. SCOUTING THE GOVERNORS Austin Peay brings a 1-1 record into Saturday's game after a narrow 68-65 loss at Belmont Nov. 26. Josh Lewis and Anthony Davis led the Governors with 13 points apiece in the setback. Austin Peay opened 2003-04 with a 90-35 win over Knoxville College. Davis, a 2003 All-OVC third team pick, led five players in double figures with 15 points in the Governors' win. Corey Gipson, who had 19 points in Austin Peay's victory over Memphis a year ago, added 11 points in the season opener. (See team stats comparison on next page) Austin Peay returns all five starters and 10 letterwinners from last year's squad that posted a 23-8 overall record and a 13-3 Ohio Valley Conference mark. Last year, Austin Peay tied for the OVC regular-season crown and won the league's postseason tournament to earn an automatic berth in the 2003 NCAA Tournament. The Governors fell to Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Dave Loos, a 1969 U of M graduate, returns where he began his coaching career. Loos served as a graduate assistant for the Tigers in 1970 and later came back as a full-time assistant from 1986-90. He is in his 14th season as head coach at Austin Peay and has a 199-182 record at the school. PROBABLES/TOP RESERVES* MEMPHIS ppg rpg AUSTIN PEAY ppg rpg F - Rodney Carney 21.0 6.5 F - Adrian Henning 10.0 6.5 F - Sean Banks 12.5 11.5 C - John Lewis 12.0 7.0 F - Modibo Diarra 1.0 6.0 G - Corey Gipson 10.0 4.5 G - Antonio Burks 16.5 ^9.5 G - Anthony Davis 14.0 5.0 G - Anthony Rice 14.0 4.0 G - Rhet Wierzba 4.5 1.5 R - Billy Richmond 12.5 3.5 R - Zac Schlader 7.0 3.0 R - Duane Erwin 7.0 10.5 R - Levi Carmichael 4.0 1.5 R - Almamy Thiero 0.5 1.5 R - Maurice Hampton 9.0 2.0 * probables are based on previous game ^ apg MEMPHIS-AUSTIN PEAY SERIES The two teams have met 15 previous times on the hardwood, with the Tigers holding an 11-4 lead in the series. Ten of the 15 encounters came between the 1947-48 season and the 1951-52 campaign. Memphis is 9-1 versus the Governors at home. That lone setback came last season when Austin Peay took a narrow 81-80 overtime victory in The Pyramid (see page 6 for last year's recap). Prior to last year's loss, the Tigers had won three straight and eight of the last nine over Austin Peay. All four Memphis losses in the series have been by seven points or less, including two overtime setbacks in 1951-52 (62-60 loss) and 2002-03 (81-80 loss). TIGERS VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY Memphis has an all-time record of 91-61 against current members of the Ohio Valley Conference. The Tigers have played Austin Peay (11-4), Eastern Kentucky (3-0), Morehead State (0-2), Murray State (34-26), Southeast Missouri State (1-2), Tennessee-Martin (9-3), Tennessee State (7-0) and Tennessee Tech (26-24). Last year, Memphis played Austin Peay and Murray State and went 1-1 in those contests. CALIPARI VERSUS THE OHIO VALLEY Memphis head coach John Calipari has a 6-1 record in games against members of the Ohio Valley Conference. Calipari has faced Austin Peay (1-1), Eastern Kentucky (1-0), Murray State (1-0), Tennessee-Martin (2-0) and Tennessee Tech (1-0). "RED" BIG ON THE BOARDS Memphis head coach John Calipari has been pushing Duane Erwin to be more assertive in the lane. The 6-foot-9 junior responded in a big way against Fordham Nov. 22. Erwin, known more by his nickname "Red," grabbed a career-high 18 boards in the 94-64 win over the Rams. His previous career high was 10 rebounds on two separate occasions (vs. Furman and Ole Miss in 2002-03). Erwin also had a career-high four steals against Fordham. CARNEY SETS CAREER HIGH Not to be outdone by Duane Erwin, Rodney Carney also set a career high against Fordham Nov. 22. The 6-foot-7 sophomore forward netted a career-best 23 points in the victory. His previous scoring high was 22 points last year versus East Carolina. In the win over Fordham, Carney also set career highs for field goals (9), field goals attempted (24) and steals (3). CALIPARI AMONG COACHING ELITE With Memphis' win over Fordham Nov. 22, head coach John Calipari moved into a special coaching fraternity. He is now ranked in the top 10 for wins by a coach in his first 12 seasons at the collegiate level. Calipari has 261 career coaching wins at the collegiate level, and this is his 12th season. He is tied with Pete Gillen, who had 261 victories in his first 12 seasons at Xavier and Providence. If he keeps on his average of 24 wins per season at Memphis, Calipari will finish in the No. 6 spot on the following list: Top Coaching Starts By Wins (First 12 Seasons) 1. Roy Williams, Kansas 1989-2000 329-82 2. Everett Case, N.C. State 1947-58 298-77 3. Denny Crum, Louisville 1972-83 295-78 4. Jim Boeheim, Syracuse 1977-88 287-93 5. Nolan Richardson, Tulsa & Arkansas 1981-92 286-100 6. Jerry Tarkanian, Long Beach St. & UNLV 1969-80 282-58 7. Wimp Sanderson, Alabama 1981-92 265-118 8. John Thompson, G'town 1973-84 262-104 8. Bob Huggins, Walsh, Akron & Cincinnati 1981-93 262-108 10. John Calipari, UMass & Memphis 2001-present 1989-96, 261-102 10. Pete Gillen, Xavier & Providence 1986-97 261-112 DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE Antonio Burks sure loves to dish the ball, and his teammates love him for it. But, Burks can also score, and that makes him a dual threat on the offensive end. The 6-foot senior guard showed both weapons in the Tigers' 94-64 victory over Fordham Nov. 22. Burks had 20 points and 10 assists in the win, marking the sixth double-double of his career. The following are Burks' career double-doubles: Opponent/Date Pts Asts Fordham/11-22-03 20 10 UAB/3-8-03 11 12 TCU/2-26-03 13 10 UAB/2-15-03 27 10 USM/2-1-03 10 12 UAB/1-23-02 12 10 RICE HOT FROM THE ARC Anthony Rice led the Tigers from the three-point line in 2002-03 with 56 treys, and he is picking up where he left off last year. After two games, the 6-foot-4 guard has hit six three-pointers and is hitting 42.9 percent from the arc. He entered his junior campaign with 104 career treys and now has 110. Rice is currently in seventh place on the Memphis career list for three-pointers and will continue to climb that chart during 2003-04. On his pace of hitting 52 three-pointers per season, Rice would finish 2003-04 with 156 treys, good enough for the No. 2 spot on the chart. The following is the career three-pointers leaders in Tiger history: Memphis Career Three-Pointers Player/Years No. of Treys 1. Marcus Moody/1997-2001 163 2. Mingo Johnson/1994-96 153 3. Elliot Perry/1987-91 143 4. Anfernee Hardaway/1991-93 142 5. Rodney Newsom/1992-96 141 6. Billy Smith/1990-93 114 7. Anthony Rice/2001-pres. 110 MEMPHIS AMONG C-USA ELITE The Tiger basketball program has had a long tradition of winning, and that has continued under head coach John Calipari. Since Calipari arrived for the 2000-01 campaign, the Tigers have been one of Conference USA's winningest programs and the following shows that: C-USA No. of Wins Since 2000-01 (updated through 11/27) Overall Conference Cincinnati 75 Marquette 36 Memphis 72 Memphis 35 Marquette 72 Cincinnati 34 Louisville 56 Charlotte 29 Charlotte 55 Louisville 27 USF 54 Saint Louis 26 UAB 52 USF 24 Saint Louis 50 UAB 22 Southern Miss 47 Houston 21 Tulane 40 Southern Miss 20 DePaul 39 Tulane 15 Houston 35 DePaul 14 TCU* 26 TCU* 9 East Carolina* 26 East Carolina* 8 * has played the last two seasons in C-USA LIGHTING IT UP FROM THE ARC Last year, the Tigers hit a school single-season record 210 three-pointers. On the pace Memphis is hitting treys in 2003-04, that record is in serious jeopardy. After two games, the Tigers have hit 23 three-pointers for an average of 11.5 made per contest. If that pace keeps up, Memphis would have over 300 three-pointers this season. The following lists the top five three-point shooting teams in Tiger history: Year No. of Treys 2002-03* 210 2000-01* 196 1994-95 191 1995-96 183 2001-02* 181 * team coached by Calipari TIGERS PICKED FOURTH IN C-USA Memphis was picked to finish fourth in Conference USA in a preseason vote by the league's coaches. The Tigers, which won the National Division title the previous two seasons, were selected fourth behind Conference USA favorite Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. This season, C-USA is going to a 14-team division format, and each team will play 16 league games. From the 1997-98 campaign through the 2002-03 season, C-USA played a two-division format. With the new set-up, each school will play each other once for a total of 13 games. The other three games were added to the schedule based on geography, rivalries and television. Memphis' three additional contests are against Louisville, Southern Miss and TCU. GOING FOR ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON The Tigers opened their 2003-04 campaign Nov. 13, and they are looking for their fourth-straight 20-win season. If successful, it would be the first time Memphis has had four-consecutive years of 20 or more wins since 1985-86 through 1988-89. The U of M had back-to-back 20-win years during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons, as well as 1994-95 and 1995-96. Last year, Memphis posted its 20th win of the year with a 67-48 win over Cincinnati in early March, giving the Tigers their third-straight 20-win season. Under head coach John Calipari, Memphis has averaged 24 wins a year in his first three seasons at the helm.

11/28/03		Memphis Bids Farewell To Eight Seniors (GoTigersGo.com)
		The University of Memphis football program will bid a fond farewell to eight seniors on this year's Tiger squad. The group includes just one offensive player, six members of the defensive unit and one special teams player. Playing their final home game as a Tiger will be wide receiver Darren Garcia, cat safety Derrick Ballard, linebackers Coot Terry, Will Hyden and Greg Harper, defensive ends Eric Taylor and Treveco Lucas and kicker Danny Haynes. Garcia has appeared in 41 games for the Tigers since the 2000 season and has lettered as a wide receiver each year. He played in eight games as a freshman but had just one reception but as a sophomore, the Millington, TN, native had 63 yards receiving. Last year Garcia started two games and finished the campaign with 19 catches for 204 yards including a career high 45 yards against Army. He upped his totals to 20 pass receptions for 228 yards this season and is currently ranked as the team's fifth leading receiver. Derrick Ballard came to the U of M in the fall of 2000 and immediately became an impact player for the Tigers. He started seven games as a freshman and was credited with 62 tackles. During his sophomore campaign, Ballard registered 60 tackles, including eight tackles for lost yardage and his first career pass interception which he returned for a touchdown against Southern Mississippi. The Georgia native totaled 101 tackles as a junior, intercepted three passes and was credited with 13 tackles for lost yardage. As a senior, Ballard is ranked fifth in tackles in his new position as a cat safety. He has 79 total hits, one pass interception, eight pass breakups and two fumble recoveries. The former All-Conference USA pick will finish his career with over 300 tackles. Coot Terry was recommended to Tiger coaches by former Memphis defensive back Jeremy Williams, who coached Terry in high school and he more than lived up to his early billing. After redshirting during the 1999 season and making the change from running back to linebacker, Terry started six games as a freshman. He had 58 tackles that first season and added one pass interception and eight tackles for lost yardage in being named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. During his sophomore year, Terry played in all 11 games and logged 40 tackles and increased his totals to 60 tackles and one fumble recovery before injuries shortened his junior season. He has been credited with 83 tackles in 2003, giving him over 250 career stops. Greg Harper came to the Tigers as a walk-on candidate from Wooddale High School in Memphis. He redshirted as a freshman and immediately became a starter at linebacker in 2000. Harper recorded 46 tackles as a freshman and started nine games. He was the starter at linebacker in 10 games during 2001 and had 73 tackles, two fumble recoveries and one interception in the Southern Miss game. Battling a broken leg, Harper managed to play in seven games as a junior and recorded 37 tackles and a fumble recovery. He is currently ranked fourth on the tackle chart with 80 hits and has one pass interception and seven tackles for lost yardage. Harper will end his career with more than 230 tackles. Will Hyden is certainly a candidate for one of the most improved players in the nation for 2003. The former walk-on from Franklin, TN, Hyden spent three seasons working as a special teams player. He had two tackles in 2002 while playing on the Tiger cover teams and as a sophomore, caught a 19-yard pass on a fake punt in the Tigers win over Army at West Point. But this season has been magical for Hyden. He earned the Chris Faros Most Player Award in the spring of 2003 and became the Memphis starter at inside linebacker this fall. He leads the team in tackles this season with 89 and has contributed five tackles for lost yardage, one quarterback sack and one pass interception which blew open the Houston game. Hyden picked off a Kevin Kolb pass and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown which led to the Memphis win. Eric Taylor has been a mainstay in the defensive front for the Tigers for three years. He lettered during his first season with the Tigers and became a starter in six games as a sophomore. Taylor registered 32 tackles in his second season with Memphis and added for tackles for lost yardage and one quarterback sack. In 2002, he was credited with 30 tackles, 10 tackles for lost yardage and one sack despite playing most of the season with a broken hand. The Winchester, TN, native has had 64 total hits this season which include seven tackles for lost yardage, four quarterback sacks and one pass interception which he returned 52-yards for a touchdown in the Tigers' win over Louisville. His interception stopped all Cardinal momentum and helped the U of M to a 37-7 victory. Treveco Lucas is another of the local success stories at Memphis. The Westside High graduate was a walk-on at the U of M and through hard work, has become a starter at defensive end. Lucas spent two years at Memphis before he appeared in a game. In 2001, he played in 11 games and was the starter in two of those contests. He had 47 stops as a sophomore and was credited with 43 as a junior. This year Lucas 38 hits and eight tackles for lost yardage which ranks second among Tiger defenders. Rounding out the 2003 senior class is kicker Danny Haynes. Haynes came to the Tigers from East Central Mississippi Community College as a kicker and was slated as the starter in 2002 before a severe muscle pull held him out of action. The very popular Haynes played against Tulane this season and has provided support for Stephen Gostkowski at kicker.

11/28/03		At Moment Frozen In Time, Seniors Chose To Win (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 28, 2003 A rare Memphis snowfall last winter had blanketed the city. A coating of several inches that shut down schools and businesses had threatened to do the same to the University of Memphis's off-season conditioning drills. For Tiger coach Tommy West, it was a litmus test for his 2003 team. Would it weather the wintry conditions or use them as a convenient excuse to cancel a predawn workout? West's answer came in the form of a steady procession of cars navigating through snowy streets to the Murphy Athletic Complex on the U of M's south campus. One by one, the players walked to the practice fields in freezing cold, dressed in their warmups and trudging through the frozen precipitation to their designated stations. It was then that West knew this season would be different, that his third Tiger football team would succeed, led by a group of eight U of M seniors who will play their final home game Saturday at 1 p.m. against South Florida. "As bad as I'd love to take a lot of credit for this season, it's not me," West said. "If not for these seniors being the core, being positive, we wouldn't have come as far as we did. "Not only did we go through that (rigorous) off-season program, but we were excited about going through it. And they were not going to let me beat them. That's what I wanted." West has kept the tape of the workout in his office and has played it for visitors on numerous occasions. For West, it's an invigorating several minutes. Somewhere under those gray-hooded sweats are seniors Greg Harper, Treveco Lucas, Derrick Ballard, Will Hyden, Danny Haynes, Darren Garcia, Eric Taylor and Coot Terry. "I felt like after last year that we weren't a team, we were a bunch of individuals," West said. "I knew the only way I could make them a team was to make the (band) together against me. That's the only way I could make them bond. Those seniors bond ed this football team together. "They came together and Mother Nature cooperated when we went out in 4 inches of snow and a zero-degree chill factor. While the whole city shut down, we had a football team show up and not one person was late even though it was at 5:30 in the morning. I've had teams that would have boycotted." West said not only did the team put forth a solid effort, they were excited about it. Maybe it wasn't as grueling as Bear Bryant taking his Texas A&M team to Junction, Texas, but it served its purpose. "That's where we turned the corner," West said. "There's no doubt in my mind." Ballard, recruited heavily by West when the Tiger coach was defensive coordinator in 2000, said the group learned a lot from pushing through the severe conditions. On West's tape, ice can be heard breaking as the players repeatedly hit the ground during an up-down drill. "Anytime you can get up at 5 in the morning and go work out in the snow and you can't feel your hands and toes and your whole body is numb . . . that shows toughness right there," said Ballard, a starting strong safety and key member of a revitalized defense. "This year we haven't had a lot of people complaining about things that don't involve football. We've been focused and doing what we have to do to get the job done." Taylor, whose 52-yard interception return triggered a blowout at Louisville, said West always reminds the group to recall what got them to this point, the most successful season at Memphis in 30 years. "We all remember that (snowy) day," Taylor said. "On past teams, people just wouldn't have shown up. But we're a team now. And everybody showed up. We were calling people and getting everybody up to make sure they came. We wanted to achieve a goal." West agrees with Taylor about the makeup of previous teams and their lack of commitment. "We had the talent the year before, but we just weren't a football team," West said. "We were a group of individuals. We had to become a team. We had to become mentally tougher. That's what the off-season program did. "That's why I'm so proud of our seniors. They held it together. They stayed positive." West said he routinely doesn't single out senior classes, but this one forced his hand. "I didn't talk about 'em last year because I didn't like 'em," West said. "I liked some of them as individuals, but collectively I didn't like 'em. And I had a team my first year here (in 2001) that moaned and groaned about how long I practiced them on a Friday before the Cincinnati game to get them bowl eligible. "But these eight (seniors) right here didn't let themselves become losers. They didn't develop that losing attitude. They listened. They didn't have more answers than I did." Ballard said the off-season conditioning, coupled with new defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn's exhausting preseason drills, created a tougher defense, one that Ballard said has been strong in the fourth quarter in every game. As optimistic as he was about this season, Ballard admits he didn't know if he'd be part of the class that helped end an eight-year losing streak and a 32-year bowl drought. "Every year I've been here, before the season starts, a whole bunch of guys would get together and say this is the year," Ballard said. "After a few years you start thinking, 'I don't think the year is ever going to come.'" - Phil Stukenborg:529-2543

11/28/03		The U of M Seniors (Commercial Appeal)
		Derrick Ballard, safety, Madison, Ga. Four-year starter, led team in tackles (101) in '02 Darren Garcia, WR, Millington 47 career catches for 513 yards, 0 TDs Greg Harper, LB, Memphis (Wooddale) Former walk-on is four-year starter, 27 career TFLs Danny Haynes, kicker, Florence, Ala. JC transfer in 2002, battled injuries as a junior Will Hyden, LB, Franklin, Tenn. Ex walk-on became starter in '03, leads team in tackles (89) Treveco Lucas, DE, Memphis (Westside) Ex-walk-on is two-year starter, had 8 TFLs this fall Eric Taylor, DT, Winchester, Tenn. 52-yard interception for TD sparked win over Louisville Coot Terry, LB, Manchester, Ga. Four-year starter leads team in QB hurries (10), TFL (9) and sacks (6)

11/28/03		C-USA Rankings (Commercial Appeal)
		1. Southern Miss (8-3 overall, 7-0 in Conference USA) - Golden Eagles on their way to perfect C-USA league mark. 2. TCU (10-1, 7-1) - Horned Frogs blew a great opportunity. 3. Memphis (8-3, 5-2) - Can the Tigers keep winning without DeAngelo? 4. Louisville (8-3, 4-3) - What a weird week in Louisville. 5. UAB (5-6, 4-3) - Blazers still have a shot to get bowl eligible. 6. USF (6-4, 4-3) - But the Bulls don't. 7. Houston (6-5, 3-4) - Big game between Cougars and UAB Saturday. 8. Cincinnati (5-6, 2-5) - FireRickMinter.com is still up and running. 9. Tulane (5-7, 3-5) - Can a similar site for Chris Scelfo be far behind? 10. East Carolina (1-10, 1-6) - John Thompson can only hope his old boss takes it easy on him Saturday. 11. Army (0-12, 0-8) - Black Knights get a week off before showdown with Navy. - Rankings by Gary Parrish

11/28/03		Tigers' Bowl Could Hinge On TCU Exams (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 28, 2003 Slow down with those reservations in New Orleans, University of Memphis fans. Because TCU athletic director Eric Hyman has told The Washington Post he will likely decline an expected invitation to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., which could affect the Tigers. TCU had dreamed of a berth in a BCS bowl. But when the Horned Frogs were beaten by Southern Miss last week, the chance of that happening disappeared and the Golden Eagles clinched at least a share of the league title. Consequently, USM will receive an invitation to the Liberty Bowl, leaving the GMAC Bowl in a position to take TCU and match it with another one-loss school in Miami-Ohio on Dec. 18. However, TCU has final exams that week, and Hyman doesn't want to interfere with his players' studies. "I can't do that," he told The Post. "I have to be sensitive to our young people. They are student-athletes, but they are also students, and they are coming to school to get an education. "We cannot disrupt their exams," Hyman added. "It's not fair to them." By passing on the invitation, TCU would give up $750,000 and considerable national exposure. Also, it would force the GMAC Bowl to take another C-USA school with Memphis probably the choice because of its proximity to Mobile and the likelihood that many U o fM fans will travel. On Thursday, Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson said though most Memphis supporters have told him they'd rather play in the New Orleans Bowl, the school would have no hesitations about accepting an invitation to Mobile. "I think New Orleans is probably the preference," he said. "But truthfully, there's just a lot of excitement that we're going to any bowl." Attempts by The Commercial Appeal to reach GMAC Bowl president Jerry Silverstein on Thursday were unsuccessful. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/28/03		Healthy Hunt Finally Set To Play For U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 28, 2003 Jeremy Hunt went to the doctor again this week. The x-rays were wonderful. He was cleared to play. And now the University of Memphis sophomore hopes you never have to see him on the bench in a suit again . . . even if his suits are snazzy. ''I know some positive has to come out of this,'' Hunt said as he sat on a bench on the side of the Finch Center court and prepared for practice. ''I know God hasn't made me go through all this for nothing.'' Memphis (1-1) hosts Austin Peay (1-1) Saturday night in a game that gives the Tigers an opportunity to avenge a loss to the Govs last season. That Hunt will be available only boosts the U of M's chances and moves John Calipari's team a notch closer to what it is the coach thinks it can become. And Hunt? A relentless slasher. A great defender. A solid shooter. A fearless competitor. Those are four ways to describe Hunt pretty accurately. But because Hunt's had three surgeries on his left foot since his 2002 graduation from Craigmont High, Tiger fans have mostly had to take Calipari's word about how talented his often-described gymrat is while being left to cross their fingers in hopes they'll someday get to consistently see it. Here's the numbers: Since Hunt enrolled, the Tigers have played 32 games, with him a part of 20 of them. Memphis is 8-4 without Hunt and 16-4 with him. Which brings us to an interesting question: In recent Tiger basketball history, has any injury - David Vaughn's ACL? Kelly Wise's knee? - been so detrimental to the program? ''When I hurt it this time, I just thought I would have to sit out for a little while and rest it,'' Hunt explained. ''But then they told me that I had to have surgery again, and I was like, 'Man, this is three times in two years.' '' Because it has been three surgeries in two years on the same foot, there are some who wonder if this will be a problem that hinders Hunt throughout his career. If you believe in trends, then the answer is yes. But if you believe in modern technology, the answer is no. Or at least there's no reason to believe such. ''He's fine now,'' said Memphis trainer Jennifer Bricker. ''(His chances of hurting his foot again) are no different than the chances of any other player hurting his foot.'' It's probably worth pointing out that Hunt is not expected to come in and play 30 minutes right away. Though his foot is sound, he is in no kind of basketball shape and will likely get winded quickly and only play a few carefully chosen stints initially. But when Hunt does get back to the level he normally plays, the Tigers will have another option in an already-loaded backcourt. He can run the point. He can play shooting guard or out on the wing. But no matter the position, Hunt insisted he has simple goals for this season. ''I just want to stay healthy,'' he said. ''And I want to help take this team to another level.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/28/03		Lady Tigers Set To Open Classic (Commercial Appeal)
		By Todd Vinyard Contact November 28, 2003 University of Memphis women's basketball coach Joye Lee-McNelis was happy to see the focus her team showed early this week in a 71-50 victory at Tennessee Tech. "I was so proud of the way this team was able to fight through what looked to be a momentum swing," Lee-McNelis said. "Tech started to really close the gap, but this team rallied and managed to swing things back in our direction and never gave up the lead again." That type of effort will be required again when the 18th Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic starts tonight. The two-day tournament features Ole Miss, Nebraska and Eastern Kentucky. The Lady Tigers (2-0) open the tournament today against EKU (1-1) at 6 p.m. Ole Miss (2-1) and Nebraska (2-0) will meet at 8 p.m. On Saturday, the championship game will follow the consolation game, which starts at 5 p.m. Memphis has won the tournament 11 straight years. "Memphis has a very talented team, and this is going to be a tough game," said Eastern Kentucky coach Larry Joe Inman. Victoria Crawford has been tough for the Lady Tigers off the bench, averaging 19.5 points per game while hitting 10-of-13 field goals, including both of her 3-point tries, and 17-of-21 free throws. Crawford, a 5-7 junior forward, is part of a strong Lady Tigers's bench. The Memphis reserves have combined for 86 points and 36 rebounds this season. The U of M bench and starters will face a strong shooting Lady Colonels team. EKU leads the Ohio Valley Conference in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers made. EKU has hit 18 treys in 42 attempts for a 42.9 percentage from behind the arc. In the other contest, first-year Lady Rebel coach Carol Ross comes to Memphis with former White Station star Ashley Awkward and the Ole Miss team. Seniors center Katie Morse (knee injury) and guard Keasha Cannon-Johnson (redshirt) have made strong returns for Nebraska early this season. - Todd Vinyard: 529-2343

11/26/03		Lady Tigers Host 19th Annual Lady Tiger Kroger Classic (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - This Week: Memphis will be very busy this week, hosting the 19th annual Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The tournament, which is sponsored by Kroger, will also feature Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky and Nebraska. The Lady Tigers will open the tourney on Friday against EKU at 6 p.m. Ole Miss and Nebraska will meet at 8 p.m. The consolation game will be played Saturday at 5 p.m., with the championship game to follow. Memphis has won the tournament the last 11 straight years. Last season, Memphis defeated Michigan State, 59-56, in the championship game. The Lady Tigers enter the tournament with a 2-0 record after picking up one of their biggest wins in the last couple of years. Memphis took to the road early this week and left Cookeville with a 71-50 victory over Tennessee Tech. It was only the fifth time in 19 meetings that Memphis had defeated Tech, and was the first time ever that the Lady Tigers had left Cookeville with a win. Junior Victoria Crawford currently leads the Lady Tigers in scoring with an average of 19.5 points per game. Sophomore Tamika Butler and junior Jennifer Sullivan, who both posted career highs in scoring against Tech, follow Crawford with averages of 14.0 and 10.5 points per game, respectively. Freshman Megan Gooch, who has started both games this season, is the leading rebounder with an average of 6.0 boards per game. Scouting EKU: The Lady Colonels are 1-1 on the year with a win over Gardner-Webb, 69-59, and a loss to Miami, 90-81, last weekend in the Morehead State Tip-off Classic. Leigh Carr and Ashleigh Huffman both recorded career highs against Miami, as Carr totaled 17 points and Huffman chipped in 13. EKU was picked in the preseason to finish second in the Ohio Valley Conference, after finishing 18-11 overall; 10-6 in the OVC, last season. Coach Larry Joe Inman is expected to start sophomore Laura Shelton and senior Katie Kelly at guard; junior Miranda Eckerle at center; and juniors Candis Cook and Pam Garrett at forward. Carr leads the squad in scoring with 15.0 ppg., and Eckerle is the leading rebounder with 8.5 boards a game. The Series: The Lady Tigers own a 4-0 series advantage over EKU, dating back to the 1974-74 season. Memphis picked up a win in 1973-74, and two victories in 1974-75, before the series took a 26-year break. The last time the two squads met was an 89-66 Memphis win during the 2000-01 season at the Rice University tournament. The only time that Memphis and Nebraska met was in 1977-78 when the Lady Tigers picked up the 88-55 win on the road. Ole Miss owns a 29-12 series advantage dating back to the 1972-73 season. The Lady Rebels have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including the last three straight games. The last meeting with the Lady Rebels was in 1999-2000, when Ole Miss hosted the 71-50 victory. The Lady Tigers are 6-8 in games played in Memphis. Up Next: The Lady Tigers will face either Ole Miss (2-1) or Nebraska (2-0) on Saturday. Nebraska has wins over Wofford (104-46) and Princeton (75-61), while Ole Miss has defeated Jackson State (83-58) and Belmont (78-62) and lost to Rutgers on the road (65-50).

11/26/03		Burks Pushes For Elite Status In Assist Category (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 26, 2003 You look at the numbers. You look at the history. Then you consider the style of play and ask the obvious question: Can Antonio Burks lead the nation in assists this season? Though it may sound silly at first, it's not a farfetched idea. In fact, if the University of Memphis senior continues at this early pace he should finish among the best point guards in the country, which would probably also make the Tigers one of the better teams in Conference USA. ''That's my goal,'' Burks said without hesitation. ''I want to finish in the top three in assists in the country. I don't know what that number is. But whatever it is, that's what I want to average.'' The NCAA won't start compiling statistics for several weeks, so it's virtually impossible to know who leads what in what. But last season Illinois-Chicago's Martell Bailey paced all Division 1 players with an average of 8.1 assists per game, while St. Bonaventure's Marques Green (8.0) and Texas's T. J. Ford (7.7) finished second and third. Using those numbers as the barometer, Burks's goal seems realistic. Through two games - a loss to Wake Forest and victory over Fordham - he's averaging 9.5 assists. And before labeling that just a couple of fluke performances, remember that the Booker T. Washington High graduate had 17 dishes against the Universal All-Stars and 15 against Team Georgia in a pair of exhibitions that don't count but still indicate just how productive Burks can be. ''He just flies up and down the floor,'' said Austin Peay coach Dave Loos, the former Tiger who will bring his Govs into The Pyramid for a Saturday night contest. ''The way he pushes the ball, that's really a concern. (To make sure he doesn't get double-digit assists) you have to stop the ball and try to make them play five-on-five. But it's much easier said than done against him.'' Because Memphis usually has four superb athletes on the floor at the same time, John Calipari wants to push the ball on every defensive rebound. And when it comes to pushing, there are few who do it as fast as Burks. Consequently, it's not uncommon for him to blow past his man, which gives the opposition two choices that are very much a pick-your-poison scenario: 1. Let Burks go into the lane uncontested for a finger roll. 2. Somebody else leaves his man and forces the ball out of Burks's hands. The first option isn't an option at all, while the second isn't too solid either. Because the moment a defender leaves Rodney Carney or Anthony Rice or Sean Banks or Billy Richmond, Burks can find them for an open jumper that can turn into an easy assist. ''With the way we're playing, I think he could lead the nation in assists,'' said U of M sophomore Jeremy Hunt. ''We're playing really fast. And then we've got shooters like Rodney and Rice. And then with me and Bill and Sean (to throw the ball to), I don't see why he couldn't average a lot of assists. ''I won't be surprised if Burks averages nine, 10 or 11 assists a game.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/26/03		Freshman Latest In Long Line Of Success Stories In Tiger Secondary (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 26, 2003 Jerome Woods. Idrees Bashir. Mike McKenzie. Reggie Howard. Michael Stone. Ken Irvin. Recognize the common thread among this list? It's an honor roll, of sorts, of former University of Memphis defensive backs who have found homes in NFL secondaries during the past decade. Before the U of M put together its magical, bowl-bound season - which continues with Saturday's regular-season finale against South Florida - it was one of the few successes the program enjoyed. Now comes Wesley Smith, a redshirt freshman from Oxford, Miss., who may be that rare defensive back that finds team success both in Memphis and at the next level. While it may be too early to project Smith (6-3, 180) as a future NFL player, he's given the Tigers (8-3) a playmaker in the secondary. A rangy player with speed who's one of the team's hardest-hitting defensive backs, Smith leads the Tigers with three interceptions and is among the team leaders in pass breakups (seven). He came up with his biggest pick of the season - one that kept the U of M's winning streak alive - in last weekend's 21-16 Conference USA victory over Cincinnati. Smith picked off a Gino Guidugli pass midway through the fourth quarter and returned it 36 yards to the Bearcat 9. The return set up Darron White's game-winning touchdown run and extended the U of M winning streak to five. Smith, who earned C-USA defensive player of the week honors, said he happened to be in the "right place at the right time," something he's made a habit of during the second half of the season. Two of Smith's interceptions have come in the team's past three games. He broke up five passes in the win over Cincinnati, including a deflection of a touchdown-seeking bullet from Guidugli to Thaddeus Lewis in the third quarter. He also dropped Guidugli for a 5-yard loss on the previous play. "I think he has a lot more confidence in the fact that he knows what to do and where he is expected to be," said Tiger defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn. "That's the biggest thing." Before he emerged as a key member of the secondary, Smith was known mostly for his unique background. He chose Memphis despite growing up in Oxford, Miss., and having parents that worked at Ole Miss. But as the year has progressed, his ability to confound opposing quarterbacks and harass receivers has been his story line. "I have a lot of respect for Wes," Tiger strong safety Derrick Ballard said. "Wesley had a great spring. I know there are times when people have great springs and then the season comes around and they don't show up." But, Ballard said, Smith lived up to his strong spring. "Wesley had a lot of pressure on his shoulders," Ballard said. "He plays the free safety spot. That's a big spot for a coach Dunn defense. A lot of times you'll be the only guy back there to make the tackle. "He had a lot of responsibility on his shoulders, but he handled it well." Tiger coach Tommy West said Smith has been making more plays since the team's third game of the season. He had a season-high 12 tackles in Game 6 - a 35-27 loss at Mississippi State. "He has been very sound for a freshman," West said. While some have compared Smith to Bashir, a member of the Indianapolis Colts, West said Smith is more physical than Bashir and that Bashir had better cover skills. "Wesley is more of the free safety that can roam around and hit you," West said. "And he can run, boy can he run. He can run and hit and is an adequate cover guy." West said it didn't surprise him that Smith nearly scored on the interception against Cincinnati. Tiger linebacker Coot Terry wasn't shocked, either. "He has stepped up in a big way," Terry said. "He's a guy who has a knack for the ball and great athletic ability." Dunn said it will be interesting to watch Smith's skills develop. "I think the sky is the limit for him," Dunn said. "He can run like a deer. He just needs to work on the little things now, things that will help him become a player at the next level." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/26/03		Tigers-South Florida Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		University of Memphis athletic director R. C. Johnson said he'd like to extend football coach Tommy West's contract three years through the 2008 season as a reward for the team's success this fall. West was given a five-year deal, with an original base salary of $139,725 and a total package of about $250,000 when he was hired to replace Rip Scherer before the 2001 season. University raises since the contract was signed have boosted the base salary to about $146,000. "I've told both Tommy and (basketball coach) John (Calipari) that my master plan was to get John's contract (extended) before we really got into basketball season and Tommy's done before we really get into the bowl season," Johnson said. "My intent is to still get that done. "They've both done everything we've asked them to do. We brought them both here to win and to improve the graduation rate, to improve our status in the community, to sell tickets and to be involved in public relations. They have done that." West will be given a raise, but Johnson said no specific figure has been finalized. Stretching their lead With an announced crowd of 42,884 for last weekend's home game against Cincinnati, Memphis upped its Conference USA-leading attendance average to 39,413. The Tigers lead second-place Louisville (36,771) by more than 2,600. TCU is third (36,155), East Carolina is fourth (34,780) and Army is fifth (30,794). Big East-bound South Florida is sixth at 30,512 and Cincinnati, also headed for the Big East, is ninth at 23,794. Another big crowd U of M officials said Monday about 46,000 tickets have been distributed for Saturday's game against South Florida. The game has been designated FedEx Appreciation Day, with the Memphis-based company having purchased about 15,000 tickets. If Memphis attracts a crowd in the mid-40,000s, it will end the season with a 40,000-plus attendance average for the first time since 1976. The 1976 team, which won seven games, averaged 40,280. If the Tigers attract 45,490 Saturday they'll break the school's attendance record of 281,966. Injury updates Tiger coach Tommy West said Monday that offensive linemen Gene Frederic and Jeremy Rone, who were injured against Cincinnati, "should be OK by Saturday." - By Phil Stukenborg

11/25/03		DeReplacement -- Parquet Must Step Up To Meet Challenge (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 25, 2003 The University of Memphis locker room at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium had emptied. All that remained an hour after Saturday's 21-16 Tiger victory over Cincinnati were several student managers and coaches, a few defensive players, quarterback Danny Wimprine and running back Derron Parquet. One by one they collected their belongings and walked out to celebrate the team's eighth victory in what has become the program's most successful season in 30 years. As Parquet made his way to the door, his stride was temporarily halted. Murray Armstrong, affiliated with the program for the past 42 years, reached out and grabbed Parquet's arm. "You got to carry the load now," said Armstrong, the facilities coordinator and former special teams coach. "So take care of yourself off the field." When the Tigers (8-3 overall, 5-2 in C-USA) resume practice today in preparation for Saturday's regular-season fi-nale against South Florida (6-4, 4-3) at the Liberty Bowl, Parquet will find himself in the spotlight. In last weekend's Conference USA victory, Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams, the favorite for C-USA offensive player of the year honors, tore ligaments in his left knee and will miss three to five weeks and possibly the team's mid-December bowl appearance. Parquet, the former LSU running back, will move into Williams's vacated spot. Williams leads the team and the conference with 1,430 rushing yards, or an average of 130 yards per game. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. With 314 yards on 66 attempts, Parquet is the team's second-leading rusher. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. "I'm certainly not going to say that losing DeAngelo won't hurt our team," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "But on good teams somebody always steps up." Parquet will bring a different running style to the Tiger backfield. While Williams was a threat running to the outside, Parquet will be effective between the tackles. "He's a little more of a punishing runner," West said. "The run he made (Saturday) to get the first down, he carried their linebacker for 3 yards." Parquet rushed 12 times for 31 yards against Cincinnati. He also caught a short pass from Wimprine and turned it into a 36-yard pickup. "I think he has kind of grown as a player as he has gotten experience this year," Wimprine said of Parquet. "I think as he continues to play he'll continue to contribute and get better." Wimprine said Parquet's per for mance Saturday impressed him on several fronts. Parquet broke several tackles on his pass reception and was a key figure during the team's final drive, one that had Parquet rush six times to run the final 3:18 off the clock. "He helped us run off the clock, which was a huge deal for us," Wimprine said. "We didn't want to give (Cincinnati) the ball back. "I know one time we needed 1 or 2 yards to get a first down (third-and-1 from the Memphis 39) and he stuck his shoulder down and ran over somebody and got us some extra yards." Parquet said while it's an opportunity for him to contribute to the program's dream season, he's somewhat saddened by how it developed. "DeAngelo is a warrior," Parquet said. "It's kind of crazy. When I first got here I taught him to pass block and do everything and now he's the one coming to me and (advising) me. We kind of swapped roles." Which is what they'll be doing Saturday. "I know DeAngelo will be there supporting me," Parquet said. "No matter what." West will be there supporting him, too, watching Parquet approach the situation some what differently than he might have earlier this season. "I think he's more appreciative of this opportunity," West said. "In the past, Derron may have taken this opportunity for granted. "I think what Derron's been through - sitting out a year (under NCAA transfer rules) and going through a (severe) ankle injury early in the year - has changed his outlook. I think he covets this situation." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/25/03		Tigers-USF Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		Williams to miss 3-to-5 weeks: Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams underwent an MRI Monday, and the examination confirmed the standout sophomore has a torn medial collateral ligament in his left knee and will miss 3-to-5 weeks. Williams was injured while gaining 2 yards to the Cincinnati 1-yard line in the third quarter of last Saturday's 21-16 Conference USA victory over the Bearcats. Williams, C-USA's leading rusher (1,430 yards) and the nation's all-purpose yardage leader (192.1 yards per game), could be available when the Tigers play in their first bowl game in 32 years if he recovers quickly. Memphis is a candidate for the Dec. 16 New Orleans Bowl, which is three weeks from today and the earliest of the four potential bowl opportunities for the Tigers. Stretching their lead: With an announced crowd of 42,884 for last weekend's home game against Cincinnati, Memphis upped its Conference USA-leading attendance average to 39,413. The Tigers lead second-place Louisville (36,771) by more than 2,600. TCU is third (36,155), East Carolina is fourth (34,780) and Army is fifth (30,794). Big East-bound South Florida is sixth at 30,512 and Cincinnati, also headed for the Big East, is ninth at 23,794. The Tigers could wrap up the season-attendance crown in their finale Saturday against South Florida. Another large turnout expected: U of M officials said Monday about 46,000 tickets have been distributed. The game is designated FedEx Appreciation Day, with the Memphis-based company having purchased about 15,000 tickets for its employees. If Memphis attracts a crowd in the mid-40,000 range, it will end the season with a 40,000-plus attendance average for the first time since 1976. The 1976 team, which won seven games, averaged 40,280. If the Tigers attract 45,490 Saturday, they'll break the school's single-season attendance total of 281,966. Injury updates: Tiger coach Tommy West said Monday that offensive linemen Gene Frederic and Jeremy Rone, who were injured against Cincinnati, will be evaluated daily, but "should be OK by Saturday." - By Phil Stukenborg

11/25/03		C-USA Honors Tiger (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 25, 2003 University of Memphis defensive back Wesley Smith, whose fourth-quarter interception sparked the Tigers' 21-16 come-from-behind victory Saturday over Cincinnati, was named the Conference USA defensive player of the week Monday. Smith, a redshirt freshman from Oxford, Miss., returned a Gino Guidugli interception 36 yards to the Cincinnati 9-yard line midway through the final quarter. The play led to a short, game-winning touchdown run by Darron White. In addition to the interception, Smith's third of the season, he had five pass breakups and a tackle for lost yardage. But it was his interception that allowed the Tigers (8-3) to overcome the loss of standout running back DeAngelo Williams and post their fifth straight victory. "We knew if we kept playing like we had been playing the turnovers were going to come," Smith said. "And (the interception) came at the right time." Smith said Guidugli's pass, thrown against a strong wind, hung up in the air. The ball was spinning side-to-side as Smith settled under it. "I looked up and saw the ball flopping around," he said. "I just ran up under it and was in the right place at the right time." Tiger coach Tommy West said Smith "is probably playing as good as anybody in the secondary." Smith leads the team in interceptions and ranks second in tackles with 88. Smith's award marked the second time this season a Tiger defender has been honored. Linebacker Will Hyden was selected Oct. 20 after he returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown to spark a win at Houston.

11/25/03		A Record Run -- Taking Over Tigers vs. USF (Commercial Appeal)
		Sophomore DeAngelo Williams will miss Saturday's regular-season finale vs. South Florida, but he's already set the following four U of M single-season records: MOST RUSHES 243 MOST RUSHING YARDS 1,430 MOST ALL-PURPOSE YARDS 2,113 MOST 100-YARD GAMES 10 Junior Derron Parquet, a transfer from LSU, should get most of the carries with Williams out. Parquet's numbers this season: CARRIES 66 YARDS 314 YARDS/RUSH 4.8 TDs 0 When: Saturday, 1 p.m. Where: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Records: Memphis 8-3 (5-2 C-USA); South Florida 6-4 (4-3). Tickets: Call 678-2331 or 1-888-867-UofM.

11/25/03		Bold Talk Becomes Bowl Talk (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 25, 2003 "I guarantee it." That was "Broadway Joe" Namath 34 years ago, the courage of a double scotch in his hand, telling the world his New York Jets would beat the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl 3. What would Broadway Joe have done as head football coach at the University of Memphis, his team 3-3, fresh off a loss to a miserable Mississippi State team and the program's last bowl game 32 years in the rearview mirror? What would Broadway Joe have guaranteed then - that at halftime next week a band would play? Look, anybody can guarantee one game, OK, Joe? Meantime, there was Tigers coach Tommy West - and without aid of a double scotch - looking his team square in the face and saying, "We're fixin' to go 9-3, guys. Get ready." And then there he was sharing this preposterous statement with the media, which is like supplying the rope for your own hanging. "The one thing in our game is sometimes people are afraid to say what they feel because, what if it doesn't happen?" West said Monday after his weekly press conference. It's become a way of coaching life, hasn't it? Most coaches, always fearing criticism, deliver their pitches with more spin than a big-league curveball. And then here comes Tommy West fooling you with the old knuckleball - no spin. It's an endearing, but dangerous, approach. Today West's Tigers are five-sixths of the way to making good on the coach's 9-3 guarantee. "Bold," said quarterback Danny Wimprine. "I like that." Not just bold; bolder than Broadway Joe ever considered. Of course, officially, West might not fully deliver on his guarantee. Tailback DeAngelo Williams, injured in Saturday's win over Cincinnati, is gone for the season. So is big-play receiver Maurice Avery. The Tigers could lose to South Florida on Saturday and have to settle for 8-4 and their first bowl trip in 32 years. Technically, that would leave Namath undefeated and West 5-1. "The moral of that story is he's not as dumb as I am," West said. Typical Tommy. Self-effacing in the spotlight, boldly confident when his team seems forever trapped in the darkness. The point is, regardless of what happens Saturday, West has to be the Conference USA Coach of the Year. Yes, Jeff Bower has done his usual solid job at Southern Miss. True, Gary Patterson had TCU knocking on the BCS door, even if no one was ever going to let in the likes of Horned Frogs. Even first-year Houston coach Art Briles is working a small miracle with the Cougars. But West is working a large miracle with the Tigers. "I really don't know how you could pick anybody else," said Wimprine. "It could be a total turnaround in one year from 3-9 to 9-3." In one year, but also over three decades, seeing as how 1971 was the last time the Tigers went to a bowl. "Miracle in Memphis," that's what you'd have to call the stage play. Unfortunately, Memphis is off-off-Broadway. So, nationally, the miracle goes unnoticed. If Tommy West does this at Vanderbilt, he's a candidate for National Coach of the Year. He should be still, but that's not how it works. West, who ran the show at Clemson for five years, knew all this three years ago when he went from Memphis defensive coordinator to head coach. He accepted what Memphis wasn't - high-profile - but refused to accept the wildly popular notion that it could never become what he's made it: legitimate. So after watching his team play a great second half against Mississippi State in Starkville, West saw hope where others might have only seen failure. "We didn't win," West said, his Georgia drawl picking up steam, "but damn, we looked good." They have looked good ever since. They have won five in a row. The defense has hit its jaw-jarring stride under Joe Lee Dunn - "my best signee," West said - and the offense has rolled up many yards and points. It is a "Miracle in Memphis." Or in a single word deserving of Broadway treatment: "Tommy." Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercial appeal.com

11/25/03		Lady Tigers End Jinx At Tennessee Tech (Commercial Appeal)
		By Our Press Services November 25, 2003 The University of Memphis women's basketball team improved to 2-0 on the season with a 71-50 win over Tennessee Tech in Cookeville Monday night. The victory was the first for the Lady Tigers in Cookeville, after having lost their previous four games on the Golden Eaglettes' home floor. Memphis also gains a bit of revenge from last season's 67-64 loss at the Elma Roane Field House. Tech drops to 0-2. Tamika Butler paced the Lady Tiger offense with 18 points and six assists, while shooting 5-of-11 from three-point range. Jennifer Sullivan added a career-best 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting as Memphis shot 49 per cent from the field. "It was a great team effort," said U of M coach Joye-Lee McNelis. "I was extremely proud of our bench, because when things got tough they came in and stayed composed." Freshman Megan Gooch led Memphis with nine rebounds.

11/24/03		Lady Tigers Improve To 2-0 With Win Over Tennessee Tech (GoTigersGo.com)
		Cookeville, Tenn. - For only the fifth time in 19 meetings, the University of Memphis women's basketball team defeated Tennessee Tech and improve to 2-0 on the year. The 71-50 win snapped a three-game losing streak to Tennessee Tech and marked the first ever Memphis win over Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. "What a huge win," said Coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "This was a great team effort. I was especially proud of our bench because even when things got tough, they came in and stayed composed. What I was most excited about was the fact that in the second half, even when Tech started to come back, we didn't lose our focus. "I was so proud of the way this team was able to fight through what looked to be a momentum swing," added McNelis. "Tech started to really close the gap, but this team rallied and managed to swing things back in our direction and never gave up the lead again." Sophomore Tamika Butler led the Lady Tigers in scoring, tying her career-high of 18 points. Butler hit 6-of-16 shots from the field, including a 5-of-11 effort from behind the arc. Butler also dished out a team-high six assists, and forced two steals. Junior Jennifer Sullivan was second on the squad in scoring with a career-high 17 points off a 7-of-9 effort from the field and a 3-of-6 showing from the free-throw line. Sullivan spent a significant part of the second half on the bench after picking up her fourth foul wityh 13:02 left in the game. Memphis had two other players in foul trouble in the second half as Victoria Crawford picked up her fourth foul with 9:09 left in the game, and Jordie Soso went to the bench with four fouls with 12:44 left. Crawford also scored in double digits with 16 points and freshman Devin Necaise chipped in 10 points. Soso and senior Princess Swilley were held well below their averages as both picked up two fouls early in the first half to land on the bench for most of the first half. Swilley was held scoreless in 17 minutes of action, and Soso was limited to just one rebound in 10 minutes on the court. Memphis shot 49 percent for the game, and totaled eight treys, while Tech shot 37.5 percent from the field, and was 19-of-24 from the free-throw line. Memphis also outrebounded Tech, 31-27, and also forced the Golden Eaglettes to turn the ball over 22 times. The Lady Tigers took a 37-25 lead into the lockerroom off the hot outside shooting of Butler who had 12 points at the break. Butler set a new career high just in the first half with four treys. Sullivan also helped the Lady Tigers secure the halftime lead with 10 points off a 4 -of-4 effort from the field and a 2-of-4 effort from the line. The Lady Tigers would have had a much larger lead at the break if they had not sent Tech to the line for free throws, as the Golden Eaglettes scored 15 of their 25 points off charity shots. Memphis held Tech to just 31.3 percent scoring from the field in the first half, and outrebounded Tech 17-14. The Lady Tigers will have a busy week ahead as they welcome Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky and Nebraska to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for the 18th Annual Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. Memphis will open the tournament on Friday with a 6 p.m. game against Eastern Kentucky. Ole Miss and Nebraska will follow at 8 p.m. The consolation game will be played on Saturday at 5 p.m., with the championship game to follow.

11/24/03		Volleyball Falls In C-USA Finals (GoTigersGo.com)
		NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Memphis (30-6) volleyball team's season came to a probable end with a 3-0 loss to No. 17 Louisville in the finals of the Conference USA Championship Tournament, Monday. "We did not play our best game of the season tonight and that's what it would have taken to beat a team as talented as Louisville," Head Coach Carrie Yerty said. "This experience was a great thing for our program, to make it to the conference finals is indicative of the type of persistence this team has. I think next time we get the opportunity to play in a championship game, we'll be more poised." The Cardinals' previous C-USA and NCAA Tournament experience showed through early on in the match. Memphis shot out to a 6-3 lead early in the first game and tried to hang on until the Cardinals tied it at 13 all. The two teams battled back and forth and Memphis seemed to prevail on a pair of kills from Neba and Barnett, and when Nance and Barnett went up for a block, the Tigers took the lead 23-19. But Louisville started an 11-5 run that saw them fight off three Tiger game points. The Cardinals tied the game at 29 on a Nellans attack error and went ahead, 30-29, on a tip to the line. The Cardinals would not fail on the lone game point that they faced, tooling a kill to take game one, 31-29. Memphis got a preview of what was to come as both teams came out and battled early on in game two trying to establish the pace of the game. Louisville eventually prevailed and went up 10-7 and the Tigers battled back to tie the score at 11 all a Watts' service ace. The score would knot up eight more times to 19 all on a kill from Nance, but when Gilkey was called for a blocking error and then hit a ball out of bounds, the Tigers found themselves down 21-19 and unable to rally back any further before Louisville closed out the match 30-23. After the 10 minute break, the Cardinals came out and dominated all phases of the third game, as Memphis mustered just 13 points, its lowest scoring total in any game Memphis has lost this season. Tiger freshman Melissa Nance was a bright spot for Memphis, downing nine kills and hitting .467 in the championship game. Junior outside Tiara Gilkey, who was named to the all-tournament team, was the only Tiger to hit double-digit kills with 10. Her third kill in the first game marked her 1,000th career kill. Junior Heather Watts was also named to the all-tournament team. With the loss, Memphis falls to 30-6 and has probably put the wraps on its 2003 season. Louisville receives the league's at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, and Memphis, despite becoming just the second team in C-USA history to reach the 30-win mark, will have to await the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee's decision to see if Memphis' regional schedule is enough to earn an at-large bid.

11/24/03		Men's Soccer's Andy Metcalf Named To Academic All-America Third Team (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- - Sophomore striker Andy Metcalf received his third post season honor as he was named to the 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-America third team as selected by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) for his high level of performance both on the field and in the classroom. Metcalf was named to the CoSIDA All-District IV team on Nov. 6 and All C-USA second team on Nov. 12. To be selected as CoSIDA Academic All-America performer, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore and maintain a 3.2 grade-point average while serving as a significant starter or reserve for his team. Metcalf has gone above the task in maintaining 3.766 grade-point average in Management, while leading the Tigers in scoring with a team-high 24 points, 10 goals and four game-winning scores. The Jackson, Tenn. native netted multi-goal performances on three occasions and earned Conference USA Player of the Week on Oct. 20, in a breakout sophomore season. Of the 33 players selected, Metcalf was one of just three sophomores to receive the All-America honors. "I worked hard in the summer to improve my game," said Metcalf. "I never really expected this, but it is a great honor to be recognized for both school and soccer." Memphis finished the season with an 8-8-2 record to mark the program's 17th season with a finish of .500 or better. A complete list of honorees is as follows: First-Team Pos. Name Yr. School GPA Major GK Dean Arnaoutakis Jr. Columbia 3.933 Biology/Pre-Med D Arni Gunnarsson Sr. Hofstra 3.86 Engineering D Jason Kutney Sr. Duquesne 3.95 Investment Management D Seth Stammler Sr. Maryland 3.894 Finance D Chris Wingert Sr. St. John's 3.79 Communication Arts MF Jeremy Cook Sr. Northwestern 3.96 Chemistry MF Jonathan Hemmert Jr. Bucknell 3.89 Political Science MF Kevin Hudson Sr. SMU 3.83 Finance F Matt Groenwald Jr. St. John's 3.76 Biology F Alon Lubezky Jr. Hartford 3.59 Economics & Finance F Joseph Ngwenya Sr. Coastal Carolina 3.491 Computer Science/Math Second Team Pos. Name Yr. School GPA Major GK Zach Wells Sr. UCLA 3.221 American Literature & Culture D Anders Cedergren Sr. Cincinnati 3.91 Health Promotions D Brain Malec Sr. UCF 3.87 Legal Studies D Jose Rivas Sr. Fresno State 3.98 Kinesiology-Exercise Science D Ryan Rzepka Jr. Oakland 3.90 Finance MF Bill Arnault Jr. Boston College 3.967 Philosophy MF Tim Brown Sr. Cincinnati 3.722 Graphic Design MF Justin Langan Jr. Western Illinois 3.74 Biology/Pre-Med F Ben Ashwill So. New Mexico 3.90 General Management F Casey Chronister Sr. Air Force 3.85 Mechanical Engineering F Antou Jallow Jr. UW-Milwaukee 3.83 Marketing Third Team Pos. Name Yr. School GPA Major GK William Hesmer Sr. Wake Forest 3.307 History D Shane Havens Sr. Creighton 3.83 Environmental Science D Lasse Merins Gr. Virginia Tech 3.96 Accounting & Information Systems D Brandon Meyer Sr. IUPUI 3.94 Mechanical Engineering D Todd Ulrich Sr. Gardner-Webb 3.969 Finance MF Naday Gottesman So. Farleigh Dickinson 3.913 Management MF Eugene Reynolds Sr. Manhattan 4.00 Communication/English MF Kevin Sapanli Sr. San Diego State 3.87 Business F Adom Crew Sr. Brown 3.24 Economics F Neil Jones Jr. UC-Santa Barbara 3.32 Geography F Andy Metcalf So. Memphis 3.766 Management

11/24/03		TIGER FOOTBALL -- BRAVE NEW WORLD (Memphis Flyer)
		Memo to long-suffering Tiger fans: The jinx is dead. Maybe. SPORTS by KENNETH NEILL It's an ill wind that blows hot, I thought to myself while standing in the parking lot just south of the Liberty Bowl at high noon Saturday -- a parking lot that the blue-clad U of M faithful had turned into a mini-Grove for the occasion. The football Tigers were about to attempt winning an eighth game for the first season in 30, and the mood was decidedly upbeat. But the wind was spooky, not the cold, biting kind you'd expect in November but something different -- twisting, turning, swirling in all directions. "Wait'll you see how crazy it gets in the stadium," said Drew Pairamore, standing beside me inside a particularly festive tent. Pairamore should know; he spent three seasons in the early 1990s as the Tiger punter, and he learned to be wary of days like this. Sure enough, the tempest spiraled and gusted inside the Liberty Bowl like an invisible wooden spoon stirring the contents -- which included two highly regarded junior quarterbacks, neither of whom would count this among their better days. The U of M's Danny Wimprine fared far worse against the fickle winds than his Cincinnati counterpart, having perhaps the worst game of his Tiger career. But at a fateful moment midway through the fourth quarter, with the Bearcats nursing a 16-14 lead, Gino Guidugli launched his own aerial misfire, a pass that veered a good 10 yards off course and into the waiting arms of ecstatic Tiger safety Wesley Smith, who scampered down the sideline and inside the Cincinnati 10-yard line. The U of M punched it in three plays later, and the rest, as they say, is history. Eight victories. Whodathunkit, especially after the disheartening loss to UAB back in early October? Certainly not those fans who have spent two decades in the football wilderness, fans who have known more heartbreak than a hundred cardiologists. The Tigers won ugly, to be sure, but the U of M has all too much experience with losing well, with style and grace, and with being the best bad football team in America. Ah, but back to the ill wind. Such was the havoc it wreaked upon Wimprine's passing that the Tigers came out after halftime with a revised game plan, one built around a simple premise: Give the ball to the Franchise. And give it to him they did, play after play. DeAngelo Williams racked up his usual mega-yardage (and his 10th consecutive 100-yard game) before fate intervened. Going to the well perhaps once too often, the Tiger coaching staff grimaced along with Williams when the running back's knee popped at the one-yard line and his storybook 2003 season came to an abrupt conclusion. The Franchise's injury was eerily similar to the one that befell another franchise player in 1993, when, also in the next-to-last game of the season, Steve Matthews (to my mind still the best quarterback in U of M history -- sorry, Danny, after Saturday, you still have some work to do) also dove into the middle of the line and ended his season instantly, breaking his leg in two places. Matthews was never the same and never had the NFL career he seemed destined for. Happily, Williams' injury looks less severe, and it's likely he'll be back next year to build on his already certain reputation as the greatest running back in Tiger history. Williams is truly a joy to watch. I can never make up my mind if he reminds me more of Gale Sayers or Tony Dorsett, but let's just say he moves in pretty elite company. His misdirection skills are the best I've ever seen. If you haven't been out to see him yet, make sure you do next year, for that may be the last chance you'll get. Williams is the Penny Hardaway of Memphis football. But that'll be next year, more than likely, and this year still has two games to go now that a bowl bid is certain. Those contests promise to be a bit of a struggle offensively (although Derron Parquet acquitted himself well in Williams' absence), but with Joe Lee Dunn's defense hitting on all cylinders, South Florida and whomever the Tigers go bowling with will have their hands full. After five victories in a row, this team really does seem to have a rendezvous with destiny. And now that they're mastering the concept of winning ugly, I wouldn't bet against them.

11/24/03		TIGER Basketball -- Glory Days (scroll to 2nd article) (Memphis Flyer)
		SPORTS by CHRIS GADD John Calipari is once again out of his seat, fist pumping under The Pyramid lights, leg stomping under a rehabbed hip. There is a stop in the action. Calipari does a sprint-hobble over to the scorer's table. The game resumes and the Memphis Tigers head coach limps off a pick and spots up in the right corner, where he takes a crisp, perfectly placed kick-out pass from Tiger assistant Ed Schilling. Calipari shoots. Swish. Such a scenario is how Schilling envisions using Calipari for the early-season, unofficial number-one college coaching staff team. "If Coach Cal could get his hip rehabbed, I think he would be able to chip in off the bench," Schilling says. "At one time, he was really good," Schilling adds. "He could pass and he could really shoot. But I don't know if he could crack the starting lineup with this squad." This squad of Tiger assistant coaches would easily run the table in Conference USA and likely roll through any field of 65 teams for the "Sideline Championship." Schilling, who still holds single-game, season, and career records for assists at Miami of Ohio, would play point guard. Sharpshooter Ryan Miller, a former Division II All-American, and Derek Kellogg, a two-year starter under Calipari at U-Mass, would share time at shooting guard. At small forward, Louisville Dream Team member Milt Wagner, who also owns an NCAA and NBA championship, would be the leading scorer. Mike Babul, a three-time Atlantic 10 all-defensive player, and 6'6" Tony Barbee, a two-time all Atlantic 10 pick and fourth all-time leading scorer at U-Mass, would play power forward and center, respectively. "Our weakness would certainly be our inside game," Schilling says. "Tony can play the post. He's added a few pounds, but we still would be a little undersized." "I think that you could make a good argument for us being the best staff," Wagner says. And Schilling truly thinks Cal would willingly stay seated? "Cal only thinks he can still play," Schilling says. "His hip might be career-ending. He had the surgery, but he still limps around like a gunslinger in a western." • So you thought it was tough pulling an eight-hour shift of Tiger athletics Saturday? Exciting, yes, attending a 21-16 Tiger football win over Cincinnati and a 94-64 Tiger hoops win over Fordham. But would there be time to go home between games? Should you wear shorts or jeans? What about a jacket? Long sleeves or short? What about the kids? And the babysitter? And for Memphis students Chris Spencer and Brian Thompson, there was this: Tiger head or no Tiger head? "I just wanted to support the team," says Spencer, who wore one of the now-legendary "Obnoxious Tiger Fan" T-shirts over his Winnie-the-Pooh Tigger costume to both the football and basketball contests. "I liked having two games in one day." "It was an adrenaline rush," says Thompson, who adds that the plan is to wear the costumes to every game. "We went from game to game, and it's just go, go, go." I guess that's what Tigers do best. Spencer and Thompson were not alone in student turnout. Whether the result of a new trend or from spillover following the football Tigers' win number eight, the student section at The Pyramid was filled to near-capacity and remained standing the entire game. • Speaking of standing, you better not be if you are a coach, player, manager, or water boy for the Tiger opposition this basketball season. The Memphis Pep Band is showing early signs of much-needed nastiness (and cleverness) in verbally attacking sometimes at excruciatingly loud decibels the opposition: "Sit down, coach. Yeah, you heard me. Why do you need water? You haven't done nothing on the court or the sidelines." Isaiah Rowser Jr., a drummer in the band, is among those who pulled double duty Saturday except his day, like the rest of the band, started at 9 a.m. "It feels great when the football and the basketball teams win in the same day," Rowser says. "It's been a lot of hard work. We're tired, but we still had fun." Tiger basketball and football again play a double-header Saturday, with football kickoff at 1 p.m. and hoops tip-off at 7 p.m. More stories from Issue # 770 | More stories by KENNETH NEILL & CHRIS GADD.

11/24/03		Ex-Tigers Develop In CBA (Commercial Appeal)
		By Ron Higgins Contact November 24, 2003 The unofficial favorite Continental Basketball Association team of University of Memphis basketball fans could be the Yakima (Wash.) Sun Kings. Just last week on back-to-back days, the team signed former Tigers Cedric Henderson and Chris Garner. Both have NBA experience. Henderson was last seen in Memphis fouling Mr. Dry Ribs intentionally in the late seconds of a Big Brothers charity game back in the summer, and Mr. Dry Ribs made him pay for it. One of the hottest CBA players so far in the week-old season has been Jimmie 'Snap' Hunter, maybe the best Memphian never to play in the NBA. Hunter is ranked in the top five in three league stat categories, including second in scoring at 24.5 points per game. Over in the National Basketball Development League, there are no Memphis players, but two familiar Mid-South names - rookie Derrick Zimmerman (Mississippi State) who plays for Columbus, Ga., and Kareem Reid (Arkansas), who plays for Asheville, N.C.

11/24/03		Tigers In C-USA Title Game (Commercial Appeal)
		By Press Services November 24, 2003 The University of Memphis volleyball team is one win away from a trip to the NCAA tournament. The Tigers beat Houston 30-19, 30-22, 24-30, 30-27 in the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament Sunday in New Orleans. They will face Louisville in today's 7 p.m. final, with the winner getting an automatic NCAA berth. Louisville has been to six C-USA finals, including the last five, and beat the Tigers, 3-2, earlier this season at the Elma Roane Field House. The win gives the Tigers a 30-5 record, making them just the second program in C-USA history to win 30 games in a season. "The first two games were probably two of the best games the team has played as a whole," coach Carrie Yerty said. "I think this win is a huge step for the U of M volleyball program and I truly believe the girls thought all along this is where we belonged." Tiara Gilkey led Memphis with 15 kills and Nancy Nellans had 14 kills, to go along with a team-high 13 digs on defense. Memphis out-served the Cougars, with 10 aces.

11/23/03		Volleyball Advances To C-USA Championship Game (GoTigersGo.com)
		NEW ORLEANS, La. - Sophomore outside hitter Nancy Nellans (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph) hit a ball down the line for her 14th kill of the match to send the Memphis volleyball team (30-5) to its first-ever Conference USA Championship final with a 3-1 win over Houston (12-19), Sunday. The Tigers will face No. 2 seed Louisville at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the College Sports Network on DirecTV and will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on Fox Sports Net Chicago at 11 a.m, Nov. 25th. With the win, Memphis becomes just the second program in C-USA history to win 30 matches in a single season. "The first two games were probably two of the best games the team as played as a whole," Head Coach Carrie Yerty said. "We knew that Houston would come back after the second game, we felt like our advantage was that we had fresher athletes than they did. They had two tough matches prior to this, but we expected a fight that third game. I think this win is a huge step for the U of M volleyball program and I truly believe the girls thought all along this was where we belonged." The last two games and the first two games did not seem to belong in the same match. The Tigers came out and dominated games one and two, 30-19 and 30-22, but the Tiger defense went astray in the third game, getting a hold of just six digs in the third game, while Houston hit .379 compared to the Tigers' .098. Both teams strung together runs in the early stages of the fourth game, as Houston led the game 12-10 before Memphis rallied back to tie it at 12 all. A Tiara Gilkey (Creve Coeur, Mo./Pattonsville) and Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's) block gave the Tigers' their first lead of the game and Memphis seemed to have things more or less under control until Tiger errors and Cougar kills starting tooling out of play off Tiger blocks. When the Cougars tooled another kill to tie the match at 17 all, it capped a period of play that saw both teams tighten up. "We played tense when it got close in games three and four and that was probably just due to our youth," Yerty said. "But our seniors stepped up, Shella was big with five blocks and hitting .240 and Brittany did a great job in some tough spots as well. And Heather Watts (Sandy, Utah/Skyline) was just a stabilizing force for us all weekend. I'm just so proud of this team and how far they've come." But Memphis would use a pair of kills from Gilkey and Barnett to catch up from 23-22 down to moving ahead of the Cougars 26-24. The Cougars closed the gap to 26-25 on a kill, but then served up one of their 13 service errors to fall behind 27-25. A Nellans attack error after a long scramble on both sides again pulled it within one, but a Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) kill was followed by one of the senior's four service aces to put the Tigers at game point, 29-27. A Fehi Tuivai (Kent, Wash./Kent-Meridian) attack tipped wide to allow the Cougars to fight off one match point, but the Nellans kill closed the game out 30-27 for the Tigers. Gilkey would lead the Tigers with 15 kills, while Nellans added 14 and Barnett had 12. Neba added 10 to put four Tigers in double-digit kills and led the Tiger blocking game with five blocks. Nellans also led the defense with 13 digs, while setter Watts and libero Christen Clayton (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) each finished with 10 digs apiece. Kelly McAnelly led the Cougars with 18 kills, while Cinthia Piva added 10. Piva led all players with 18 digs, while Jaci Gonzalez finished with 10 digs. In all, Memphis out-served the Cougars, racking up 10 aces compared to two for the Cougars. Houston outblocked Memphis 11.5 - 5, but hit .101 compared to a .132 clip for Memphis. Memphis will make its first-ever appearance against the 18th ranked Louisville Cardinals in the finals, Monday, at 7 p.m. in Tulane's Fogelman Arena. Louisville has appeared in six C-USA finals, including the last five straight. The Cardinals downed Memphis 3-2 in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse earlier in the season.

11/23/03		Lady Tigers Reach C-USA Volleyball Semis (Commercial Appeal)
		By From Our Press Services November 23, 2003 The University of Memphis volleyball team dropped the first set against host Tulane, then rallied to win the next three and advance to the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament Saturday. The score of the match was 29-31, 30-26, 30-26, 30-24. "This is absolutely the biggest win for this program since I've been here," said coach Carrie Yerty. Brittany Barnett had 21 of the Tigers' 77 kills while Tiara Gilkey added 19. The fourth-seeded Tigers (29-5) will face either top-seeded Cincinnati or No. 8 Houston in today's 7 p.m. semifinal.

11/23/03		Busy Day Has Twice The Fun (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 23, 2003 The boss called me in his office and said he had a great idea. The Tiger football team is 7-3 and kicking off at the Liberty Bowl against Cincinnati at 1 p.m., and the basketball team is tipping off its home opener down at The Pyramid. ''Go to both games,'' he said, ''and write about a big day in Tiger sports.'' That is a fine idea. Won't you join me? 11:30 a.m.: From the press box, the field looks so green it's hard to believe this is November. The fall colors that cascade out to the horizon, past the Clark Tower, prove that it is. 11:45 a.m.: Among the earliest arriving fans into the stadium are Chris and Jaime Crabb, with their 5-year-old son, Dylan. Chris and Dylan are outfitted in matching No. 18 jerseys. The Crabbs made the hour-and-a-half drive from Selmer, Tenn., for their first game this season. 12:15 p.m.: John Stacy is at his usual spot, at the tailgate thrown by Scott Foreman, who is officially the biggest Tiger football fan on the planet (seriously, he's now been to 56 consecutive Tiger football games, home and away). A few weeks ago, Stacy went into the VA hospital for a Thursday appendectomy. On Saturday, his buddies took him to the East Carolina game. ''I couldn't yell or scream,'' says Stacy. 1:09 p.m.: Tiger QB Danny Wimprine hands to DeAngelo Williams who flips to a reversing Darron White who fires a pass to wide-open Chris Kelly for a 78-yard TD. These Tigers sure make it look easy. 2:06 p.m.: Stephen Gostkowski's field-goal attempt is blocked, and Tyjuan Hagler returns it for a touchdown. It's not looking so easy anymore and it's 13-6 at the half, Bearcats. 2:48 p.m.: Wimprine throws his second interception. Cincy hits a field goal. It's 16-7 and this is starting to look scary. 3:05 p.m.: It's first down from the Cincy 12 and DeAngelo Williams takes the handoff, stops, motors through a hole and is just tripped by a fingertip at the 3. 3:06 p.m.: Williams drives the pile to the goal line. And now he's down, holding his knee. Wimprine scores on the next play, but this is not good. 3:13 p.m.: Williams rides off the field in a cart. He is crying. This is really not good. Dadgum fingertip! 3:20 p.m.: Wimprine throws another interception. He is now 6-of-22 with three picks. 3:47 p.m.: Greg Harper sacks Cincy QB Gino Guidugli at the 6. Then Guidugli's deep pass finds a stray current of wind, Wesley Smith intercepts and returns to the 10. 3:53 p.m.: Darron White around the edge for a Tiger touchdown! It's 21-16 with six minutes left. 4:09 p.m.: Passengers in the Northwest Airlines plane duck ing over the Liberty Bowl might be wondering why everyone in the stadium is on their feet. Here's why: Derron Parquet just plowed for the game-clinching first down. 4:13 p.m.: As he runs off the field, Tiger coach Tommy West looks to the crowd with hand raised. The video board catches it and the crowd roars. 4:15 p.m.: From Chuck Roberts, the public-address announcer: ''Bowl tickets go on sale Dec. 1.'' How sweet does that sound? 6:57 p.m.: The Tiger basketball team has run onto the court, but the first thing you notice is the sharply dressed managers and players on the bench. U of M coach John Calipari ordered the new dress code to improve his team's image. 7:03 p.m.: The lights-out introduction, complete with video, really is cool. 7:06 p.m.: Tiger point guard Antonio Burks strips the ball from Mark Jarrell-Wright. Welcome to Memphis. 7:13 p.m.: Calipari gives Duane Erwin one of those looks he used to give Earl Barron. Thankfully, he doesn't call him what he called Barron that time live on CBS. 7:35 p.m.: Rodney Carney is wide open from the corner and you know it's good before he ever lets go. When's the last time the Tigers had that? 8:07 p.m.: Paid attendance is 13,727, which means season-ticket sales must be way down. 8:08 p.m.: Rice bombs on the break. It's 46-30 and the rout is on. 8:37 p.m.: Erwin just put back a dunk with Marv Albert authority. You had to see the resulting shimmy-and-yell to appreciate it. Here's Erwin's explanation: ''That's for my boy Rico, he's a cheerleader. We got a dance class together and he does something called the 'Lawnmower.' He told me if I dunked, do the 'Lawnmower.' And I just started doing it.'' 9:00 p.m.: Final score: 94-64. 9:01 p.m.: Final tally for the day: Tigers 2, Opponents 0. Contact reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564; E-mail: zmcmillin@commercialappeal.com.

11/23/03		Erwin Delivers Big For Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 23, 2003 If it was a message, consider it delivered FedEx-style. Because Duane Erwin came off the bench and looked like the player John Calipari wants - and needs - him so badly to become. "I know I should be starting," Erwin said after leading the University of Memphis to a 94-64 victory over Fordham. "Cal just had to make his point. And I responded to it." An estimated crowd of 8,500 filed into The Pyramid on Saturday night and watched the U of M cruise in its home opener. That they also witnessed a Duane 'Red' Erwin highlight film was just an added and surprising bonus. Eighteen rebounds. Nine points. An uncountable amount of pats on the back. That's what Erwin finished with against Fordham (0-1). Now if he just has some left for the rest the season, the Tigers (1-1) will have themselves a reliable big man and can probably make reservations for a repeat NCAA Tournament appearance. "If that (center) position plays like Red did today in that second half, we're pretty good," Calipari acknowledged. "When we bring (injured guard) Jeremy (Hunt) back with this team, we're pretty darn good." To fully understand just how special Erwin's night was you have to know how mediocre his first two years at Memphis have been. A brief description an NBA scout might have scribbled in a notebook somewhere would look like this: Talented kid. Smart. Somewhat skilled. But, for whatever reason, he won't work in practice or dedicate himself to do what his coach wants. Consequently, his coach rides him to no end, and he may never reach his potential. Because Erwin is a stand-up guy, he wouldn't argue with the above assessment. And because it's accurate, daily workouts at the Finch Center are sometimes testy and almost always eventful. Which brings us back to Saturday, when Erwin had the best game of his college career. After playing 15 minutes in the first half that resulted in no points and five rebounds, the Huntsville, Ala., native grabbed a missed shot with emotion and two hands. Then he did it again. And again. And again. And so on and so forth. It was so impressive at one point that when Erwin held his right fist up as a signal that he needed a break, Calipari just ignored him and told him to keep playing. So he did. A few minutes later, Erwin was throwing down dunks and flashing a move called ''The Lawnmower'' that he learned in dance class. "I haven't seen Red excited like that in a long time . . . unless he's doing some homework or something,'' said Memphis junior Billy Richmond. "He's like a whizkid with the books." It's probably worth noting that Erwin didn't do all this against Connecticut's Emeka Okafor or Cincinnati's Robert Whaley or ever Wake Forest's Vytas Danelius. Instead it mostly came at the expense of a few guys whose names are tough to pronounce and skills even harder to locate. Fordham's tallest starter was 6-8, and its most-active post-presence stood just 6-5. Erwin was well-aware of those facts afterward, but seemed determined to still use the bar-raising performance as a confi-dence-booster. "There's nothing hard about rebounding," he said, which indicated that if nothing else, Erwin is picking up on Calipari's phrases. "It's not hard. You just have to have a will to go get it." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/23/03		Tigers Postgame (Fordham) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game It wasn't as flashy as Billy Richmond's and Rodney Carney's alley-oops. But there was no sequence of events John Calipari appreciated more than Duane Erwin's spurt of tenacity early in the second half. The 6-9 junior snatched three offensive rebounds out of the air on the same possession. By the time Erwin checked out a few seconds later, he got a loud ovation from the crowd and some rare words of encouragement from his coach. "Way to go Red!" Calipari screamed. "Way to go!" Erwin finished the game with 18 rebounds, as the Tigers almost doubled Fordham on the boards, winning the rebounding battle 57-29. Stat of the game Carney may be the Tigers' top offensive threat, but 24 shots is too many for the sophomore to take, especially when he makes just nine of them. In fairness, Carney's high number of attempts - they were almost twice as many as any other Tiger - came in part because of the tempo of the game. Even so, Calipari would rather see Carney take a few less to get his 23 points. Trends There have been two regular-season games with five guys in double figures each time. Sure, it's a short trend. But if it continues, Calipari will be a happy coach. X's and O's On Fordham's first offensive possession, Antonio Burks got closer than Ram point guard Jermaine Anderson probably ever wanted. It resulted in a steal and set the tone for the rest of the night. Because Anderson has a reputation as being less-than-steady with the ball, Memphis prepared Friday to pressure him all night with Burks the most relentless. It led to 19 Fordham turnovers, which was a prominent part of the Tiger gameplan and major factor in the outcome. Meanwhile, Burks, in 37 minutes, had 20 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and four steals for a stat line Jason Kidd would appreciate. Odds and ends Raleigh-Egypt graduate Derrick Chew, who walked-on to the team just days before the season-opener against Wake Forest, was a no-show Saturday night after also missing Tuesday's exhibition. "I don't know," said Calipari. "Somebody said he was sick." First-year Fordham coach Dereck Whittenburg missed his debut for the Rams. He didn't travel with the team to Memphis because his grandmother died Thursday. Erwin wasn't the only Tiger taking advantage of Fordham's lack of size. Memphis had five players grab six or more rebounds, with freshman Sean Banks getting nine to go with his 15 points. Though the national signing period ended last Wednesday, Memphis still hasn't released its official list of signees. Southern Miss and Houston are the only other schools in Conference USA that haven't announced how their signing period turned out. What's next The Tigers have the week off before hosting Austin Peay next Saturday in a rematch with the school that handed Memphis a loss in its home-opener a year ago. Coached by former Tiger assistant Dave Loos, the Govs return 10 players and all five starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team. They are led by Ridgeway graduate Adrian Henning and open their season Monday against Knoxville College. - By Gary Parrish

11/23/03		Tigers Get Big-Time Win Despite Williams's Injury (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 23, 2003 For University of Memphis football fans, it was a sickening sight, one they had not envisioned during what has become a magical season. But midway through the third quarter Saturday against Cincinnati, with the Tigers struggling offensively and trailing by nine, sophomore running back DeAngelo Williams crumbled to the ground after a short gain. Williams, Conference USA's top running back and emerging as one of the nation's best, didn't pop up like he had on 242 other occasions this season. And when he had to be helped to the sideline after his 2-yard run to within inches of the Bearcat goal line, a hush fell over the crowd of 42,884. For a team that was playing without its top receiver, and with its record-setting quarterback having a record-setting off-day, a fifth-straight victory seemed improbable. But the Tigers overcame the obstacles, relying on a key fourth-quarter interception return by freshman safety Wesley Smith to rally for a 21-16 C-USA win. The victory gave the Tigers (8-3, 5-2 C-USA) an eight-win season for the first time since 1973 and padded the resume for their first postseason trip since 1971. The Tigers were able to survive quarterback Danny Wimprine's 8-for-26 passing effort that resulted in a season-low 80 yards and a season-high three interceptions. And they were able to come from behind despite Williams being carted off the field and diagnosed with a torn left medial collateral ligament, which will sideline him for at least three weeks. The Memphis offense, which lost leading receiver Maurice Avery last weekend to an MCL injury, was held to a season-low 312 yards. "Our quarterback doesn't have one of his best days, we lose our running back and to find a way to win the thing at the end is a credit to these kids," Tigers coach Tommy West said. "Now that is a big-time win." Smith provided the big play midway through the final quarter. He intercepted a Gino Guidugli pass at the UC 45 and returned it 36 yards to the UC 9. It took three plays for the Tigers to score, on a 3-yard run by Darron White. Stephen Gostkowski's point after gave Memphis a 21-16 advantage with 5:57 left. After White's TD, the Tigers withstood a late Cincinnati drive, engineered by Guidugli, the same quarterback who spoiled the U of M's bowl hopes two years ago with a late game-winning drive. But this time, the Tigers defense held. The Bearcats drove from their 20 to the Tiger 30, where four straight Guidugli passes fell incomplete. The Tigers took over with 3:18 left and ran out the clock, with Derron Parquet, Williams's replacement, picking up 23 time-consuming yards. "Good teams always find a way to win," said Williams, who finished with 136 rushing yards for his 10th straight 100-yard game. "We found a way to win. Hopefully, we'll come back next week and play our game." It will be without Avery and Williams, who have accounted for 24 touchdowns and more than 2,600 yards of offense. But if Wimprine shakes off his perhaps worst outing, Memphis may have an opportunity to win nine games in a season for the first time since 1963 next Saturday at home against South Florida. "I just think he was off," West said. "That happens with quarterbacks. That's why you have to have good running backs. They don't have off-days." The Tigers, who trailed, 13-7, at the half, fell behind, 16-7, early in the third quarter when Chris Manfredini connected on a 41-yard field goal. It came seven plays after Wimprine's second interception. But it was to be the final points for the Bearcats (5-6, 2-5). The Tigers drove 65 yards on the following possession, scoring on Wimprine's 1-yard keeper. Williams was injured on the drive, but not before gaining two yards, and a first down, at the UC 1. Neither offense mounted a drive afterward, and it looked as if the Tigers would be unable to extend their winning streak until Smith's interception, which came two plays after a key Greg Harper sack. Harper dropped Guidugli for an 11-yard loss on first-and-10 from the UC 17. "I thought we had the momentum until the interception," Cincinnati defensive end Andre Frazier said. "It seemed like it was all in line, but they threw a wrench in our plans."

11/23/03		Tigers Win, But It Costs Dearly (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 23, 2003 The celebration began in the closing minutes Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. More than 40,000 University of Memphis fans, enjoying the program's best season in 30 years, started counting down the final seconds of a 21-16 Conference USA victory against Cincinnati, a gutsy come-from-behind win that gave the Tigers their fifth straight victory. Fans high-fived one another in the stands. Former Tigers players danced in the aisles. Longtime boosters embraced. On the sidelines, U of M athletic director R.C. Johnson fought his emotions, overjoyed with the team's late-season run, but saddened at the cost of success. Memphis (8-3) will end its regular season next Saturday at home against South Florida and earn its first bowl bid in 32 years, but running back DeAngelo Williams isn't expected to be a part of the spoils. Williams, the super sophomore who has emerged as C-USA's top offensive player, tore a knee ligament midway through the third quarter and spent the rest of the game on crutches. He will miss next Saturday's game against South Florida and likely whatever bowl game the Tigers play. An MRI on Monday will determine Williams's status for mid-December, the earliest the Tigers would appear in a bowl game. "It's awesome (to be 8-3), but it's tainted a little losing DeAngelo," Johnson said. Williams rushed for 136 yards Saturday against Cincinnati (5-6) to push his season total to a school-record 1,430 yards. His injury was similar to the one that sidelined the team's top receiver, Maurice Avery, after last weekend's victory at Louisville. Without their offensive weapons, the Tigers relied on a defense that has been improving since midseason. Memphis used an interception by defensive back Wesley Smith to score the game-winning touchdown with 5:57 left. Smith picked off a Gino Guidugli pass near midfield with 7:22 to go and returned it 36 yards to the Cincinnati 9-yard line. Three plays later, Darron White, who had tossed a 65-yard touchdown pass earlier in the game, scored on a 3-yard run to give the Tigers a 21-16 lead that held up. "Today, the defense stepped it up because (the offense) didn't play too hot," White said of an offense held to 312 yards, 154 below its average. But all that mattered to the long-suffering Tigers fans, a group that hadn't experienced a winning season since 1994, was another chance to celebrate. "Last Tuesday, I went up to (Tigers coach) Tommy West, and I thanked him," said Bobby Wharton, a longtime supporter and former Highland Hundred booster club president. "Some of us have been with this program for 25 and 30 years, just waiting for a decent season. Now everything has jelled . . . . I feel like I need to pinch myself." Sandra Hill, Williams's mother, was in good spirits, even as she escorted her son out of the stadium on crutches. She had a difficult time suppressing a smile or talking about next weekend. "If we're 9-3 after next week's game," she said, "I'm stormin' the field." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/23/03		Tiger Defense Comes Through At Right Time (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jason Smith Contact November 23, 2003 Tiger defensive back Wesley Smith says he couldn't have scripted it any better. With Memphis's offense sputtering Saturday without its star runner, and the Tigers trailing Cincinnati, 16-14, midway through the fourth quarter, Smith couldn't have picked a better time to come up with his third interception of the season. The Bearcats faced a third-and-19 at the Cincinnati 8 when quarterback Gino Guidugli threw an errant, wobbly pass in the direction of Smith, who couldn't believe his eyes as he stood near the UC 45 and waited for the ball to find him. "I was backing up and looked up, and it was just flipping around up there," Smith said. "I just ran under it. You know, right place, right time." With no one within 5 yards of him, Smith broke upfield, returning the interception 36 yards to the UC 9 to set up junior Darron White's game-winning touchdown run. "The interception I had was the turning point of the whole game," he said. "It helped our offense, and they went down there and punched it in." While it may have been the most important, Smith's performance - one that also included eight tackles and five pass breakups - was just one of many standout efforts by a Tiger defense that entered the game ranked 15th nationally. Senior defensive end Treveco Lucas kept constant heat on Guidugli, recording a sack and a game-high 10 tackles, while linebacker Greg Harper added seven tackles and a sack. "We've got people stepping up all over the place," Harper said. "We never know where it comes from, but it always seems to happen. "Our offense had been spoiling us lately with points, but we're a team. If they can't (score), we have to help the team out." Memphis's defense, which had allowed just 304.1 yards per game coming in, surrendered 301 yards, 272 of them coming through the air. "That's how we wanted to do it," Smith said. "Stop the run and give them one option - to pass." Like Memphis, Cincinnati saw its leading rusher go down to an injury. Bearcat junior Richard Hall injured his left ankle just two minutes into the game, returning for just one play before sitting out the rest of the game. Hall, Cincy's leading rusher, finished with 26 yards on five carries. "Losing him hurt us," Cincinnati coach Rick Minter said. "We had others step up, but Richard's still the man." With just the pass to worry about, Memphis's defensive line could focus on getting up field and into Guidugli's face, Lucas said. The Tigers finished with three sacks overall and 11 tackles for loss. "Their offensive line is big and strong, and I give Cincinnati credit for that," Lucas said, "but I just felt like I could get a lot of pressure on him today." Overall, Lucas said, Saturday's defensive performance showed just how far the unit has come since allowing 481 yards in the Tigers' 35-27 loss to Mississippi State. Memphis has since won five straight, giving up an average of just 272 yards per game in that span. "I think we've got more confidence defensively," Lucas said. "All of us are getting more familiar with it, practicing and practicing, so in the games it seems like second nature now." Harper was even more confident. "The defense didn't do anything it wasn't supposed to do," he said. "We just went out and did our job." - Jason Smith: 529-5804

11/23/03		Tigers Postgame (Cincinnati) (Commercial Appeal)
		INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: Cincinnati, Arnold 17-32, Hall 5-26, Vann 2-8, C. Jones 3-7, Murray 1-(-9), Team 1-(-13), Guidugli 5-(-22). Memphis, Williams 23-136, Parquet 12-31, D. White 3-3, Wimprine 7-(-3). Passing: Cincinnati, Guidugli 18-39-1-272. Memphis, Wimprine Wimprine 8-26-3-80, Roberson 0-1-0-0, D. White 1-1-0-65. Receiving: Cincinnati, Thomas 10-173, Dawley 3-34, Lewis 3-31, Vann 1-18, Arnold 1-16. Memphis, Pratcher 2-18, Kelley 1-65, Parquet 1-36, D. White 1-13, Davis 1-8, Cole 1-8, Garcia 1-2, Williams 1-(-5). Play of the game The Tiger defense, which had come up with so many key interceptions during the team's four-game winning streak entering Saturday's game, came up with another. But this time the defense had a flair for the dramatic. It waited until midway through the fourth quarter, with the Tigers trailing, 16-14, to come up with the biggest play, a 36-yard interception return to the Cincinnati 9 by safety Wesley Smith. Three plays later the Tigers scored the go-ahead touchdown. By the numbers 117: The number of passes Tiger quarterback Danny Wimprine had thrown in five games without an interception before Cincinnati's Zach Norton picked off his first-quarter attempt. 2-2, 81: Tiger receiver Darron White's season passing stats (2 completions, 2 attempts, 81 yards) after his 65-yard TD toss against Cincinnati in the first quarter. 4-16, 18: Wimprine's first-half passing stats (4 completions, 16 attempts, 18 yards). 2: The number of uprights struck by Cincinnati kicker Chris Manfredini. He hit the left upright on a point-after try and the right one on a 26-yard field goal attempt. For the defense The Tiger defense nearly held a fourth straight opponent to fewer than 300 yards. Cincinnati got 301, but the Bearcats were held to 29 rushing yards. Tiger safety Smith likely will compete for C-USA defensive player of the week honors after breaking up five passes, returning an interception 36 yards to the Bearcat 9 to set up the game-winning TD and having a tackle for lost yardage. Defensive end Treveco Lucas had 10 tackles, among them two for lost yardage and a sack. Odds and ends Tiger sophomore running back DeAngelo Williams was injured late in the third quarter on a 2-yard run to the Bearcat 1. Williams was helped off the field and later diagnosed with a torn left medial collateral ligament. The news was disappointing, but not surprising. "I heard a pop, but I wasn't sure what was going on,'' Williams said. ''So I tried to stand up, but I couldn't. I tried to walk on it, but walking was complicated.'' Williams said it was disappointing because he felt he was in the zone Saturday. He finished with 136 yards - his school-record 10th straight 100-yard game - and finishes the regular season with a school-record 1,430 yards. ''Hopefully, I'll be back for the bowl game,'' he said. With his 136-yard effort, Williams became the fifth back in school history to gain more than 2,000 yards in a career. Williams has 2,114 and joins Dave Casinelli (2,636), Gerard Arnold (2,378), Skeeter Gowen (2,227) and Larry Porter (2,194). Tiger running back Derron Parquet replaced Williams when he went out. Parquet had several key carries as the Tigers ran out the clock in the fourth quarter. He also had a 36-yard pass reception. ''This is kind of bittersweet because I wanted DeAngelo to be there with me,'' Parquet said. ''We always support each other no matter what. I'm his biggest fan on the sidelines. I wouldn't want the success he's had to happen to anyone else but him because he is such a good person and such an unselfish guy. He finds reasons to get me into games. He even fakes being hurt. That's what I thought was happening until I found how bad it really was.'' Special teams breakdowns, which have plagued the Tigers for two seasons, surfaced again Saturday. The Tigers have allowed an 87-yard punt return for a TD and two kickoff returns (100 and 94 yards) for scores this season. Saturday, they allowed Cincinnati to return a blocked field goal attempt 76 yards for a TD. The big play gave the Bearcats at 13-7 lead late in the second quarter. Tiger receiver Chris Kelley, a 6-1, 195-pound junior from Corinth, Miss., entered Saturday's game with just six catches for 57 yards and no touchdowns this season. But with leading receiver Maurice Avery (torn MCL) out, the Tigers needed someone other than White to step up big. Kelley did on Memphis's second play from scrimmage, hauling in White's throw on a double-reverse pass play for a 65-yard TD to get the Tigers on the board early. Cincinnati's offense struggled on the ground without leading rusher Richard Hall, who left the game just two minutes into the first quarter with an apparent left ankle sprain. Hall had already carried the ball four times for 25 yards. His replacement, freshman Terry Arnold, was much less effective, rushing for 32 yards on 17 carries. - By Phil Stukenborg and Jason Smith

11/23/03		Injured DeAngelo Will Hurt The Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 23, 2003 Tigers center Gene Frederic had just slipped on his new blue and white T-shirt, which had his name and No. 76 on the back, and these words on the front: "Hungry? The Breakfast Crew's Makin' Pancake Blocks All Day Long." The shirt was a gift. All the main guys on the University of Memphis offensive line got one. The gift-giver was the guy who, after Saturday's 21-16 win over Cincinnati, came hobbling by Frederic on crutches, an air cast on his left leg. DeAngelo Williams, even though he has made many of his 1,430 yards this year on his own, and earned many of his 136 yards Saturday all by his lonesome, always has made sure to take care of the guys who try to take care of him. When the linemen do their jobs, DeAngelo makes them look great. When they don't do their jobs, well, DeAngelo's got their beefy backs. He covers for them by sliding through holes that really don't exist, by stopping and starting and darting, by shedding tacklers like they're extra layers of unwanted clothing. "He's DeAngelo," Frederic said with a smile. He's also wounded. And if DeAngelo is wounded, the Tigers are wounded. Williams injured his left knee on a short run near the Cincinnati goal line in the third quarter. Initial report: torn MCL, which means no DeAngelo for at least three weeks, and probably not for the rest of the season, including whatever bowl game is in the Tigers' future. "Everybody was pretty bummed," said Frederic. Including DeAngelo himself. If you saw him leaving the Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium sideline on a cart Saturday, then you saw the I-can't-believe-this-is-happening look on DeAngelo's face, a look that said he suspected he had carried the ball for the last time in this wonderland of a season. "We were both sad," said DeAngelo's backup and buddy, Derron Parquet. "We both had tears in our eyes." But after getting X-rays, DeAngelo came back out and took a seat on the Tigers bench. And then Parquet came over and whispered in his ear. And then DeAngelo was DeAngelo again - smiling, cheering, telling the Tigers, even when down 16-14, they were going to win. "I gotta stay strong in front of the guys," a grinning DeAngelo said amid the Tigers' raucous locker room. "I can't bring them down. We're a team. We're a family." Perhaps more of a team than even the Tigers' most faithful loyalists dared believe. Win without Williams? Win when Danny Wimprine throws three interceptions and goes 8-of-26 for 80 yards? Win when a field-goal attempt is blocked and returned 76 yards for a touchdown? What, did you get into Tiger Tom's industrial strength catnip? "The definition of a team," said Wimprine, "is when something bad happens, another guy steps up and makes it look like it didn't happen." It's a trend that needs to continue. Because an offense without Williams and big-play receiver Maurice Avery - already out for the season with a torn MCL - is not likely to score points in bunches, which is what it had been doing before Saturday. It's also well beyond obvious the Tigers wouldn't be where they are without Williams, though that's not the kind of the thing Tommy West was going to agree to after a win like this, and when staring at a DeAngelo-less future. "I don't know if we're 8-3 without him," said the coach. "I know we're 8-3 with him, and he's pretty good." He's DeAngelo. He's the guy who gave his offensive line those nifty T-shirts and this city what still stands as a dream season. Even if the giver of those gifts now stands on crutches. Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercialappeal.com

11/23/03		Great 8s (Commercial Appeal)
		Great 8s November 23, 2003 The University of Memphis clinched the 11th eight-win football season in school history Saturday: 1929: 8-0-2 1938: 10-0 1949: 9-1 1950: 9-2 1960: 8-2 1961: 8-2 1962: 8-1 1963: 9-0-1 1969: 8-2 1973: 8-3 2003: 8-3* * - at least one game remaining

11/22/03		Memphis Rolls Over Fordham (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Rodney Carney scored 23 points, and Antonio Burks added 20 points and 10 assists Saturday night to lead Memphis to a 94-64 win over Fordham. The Tigers (1-1) broke open the game at the start of the second half with 14 straight points to build a 52-30 lead. That followed five unanswered points going into the break as Fordham (0-1) went more than six minutes without scoring. Fordham trailed by double digits for the rest of the night, with the Tigers leading by at least 18 during the games' final 10 minutes. Carney connected on only 9 of 24 shots, but still led Tiger scorers. Burks had 16 of his points in the second half. Sean Banks and Anthony Rice each added 15 for Memphis. Mark Jarrell-Wright led Fordham with 19 points, while Michael Haynes added 17. Both teams relied heavily on long-range shooting with some success. Memphis connected on 13-of-26 from 3-point range, while Fordham was 10-of-28. But Memphis was more aggressive on the boards, outrebounding the Rams 57-29 with Duane Erwin grabbing 18. The board work, plus a pressing defense that caused 19 Fordham turnovers, made the second half a comfortable walk for the Tigers. Memphis led 38-30 at halftime behind Carney's 15 points, including 3-of-7 from long range. The Tigers led by as many as 11 in the first half before 3-pointers by Haynes, who had 12 before the break, and Drew Williamson helped cut the margin to 33-30.

11/22/03		Volleyball Advances To First-Ever C-USA Semifinal With 3-1 Win At Tulane (GoTigersGo.com)
		NEW ORLEANS, La. - The University of Memphis volleyball team (29-5) used a team effort and some career-best performances to book its first-ever appearance in the Conference USA semifinals with a 3-1 win (29-31, 30-26, 30-26, 30-24) at host Tulane (25-6), Saturday. Memphis, the No. 4 seed in the tournament, will face No. 8 seeded Houston, who upset No. 1 seed Cincinnati, 3-1, Saturday. "This was absolutely the biggest win of this program since I've been here," Head Coach Carrie Yerty said. "We just turned in an overall team performance and every one of our players succeeded in their individual roles. This was a huge win too, Tulane is a great team and it took a huge night to get this win." Senior outside Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands), a second-team all-conference honoree, led the Tigers with 21 kills, while Tiara Gilkey (Creve Coeur, Mo./Pattonsville), a third-team honoree, added 19 kills, 16 digs and five block assists. It was a night of career performances for a number of Tigers. Tiger setter Heather Watts (Sandy, Utah/Skyline) turned in her second triple-double of the season, led by a career-high 11 kills, adding 59 assists and 14 digs. With the 59 assists, Watts, a third-team all-conference honoree, set a new Tiger single season record with 1,737 single season assists. Freshman middle Melissa Nance (Frankfort, Ind./Clinton Prairie) added a career-best 12 kills, while Nancy Nellans (South Bend, Ind./St. Josephs) added a career-best 25 digs. Sophomore Fehi Tuivai (Kent, Wash./Kent-Meridian) added a career-best five block assists, all of them coming in the last two games, and hit .250 in the win. The two teams split the first two games. In game one, Memphis went up 4-0 early, but the Green Wave got over their opening jitters and pulled even at five all as a Neba overpassed dig was put down. Memphis regained the lead, but again could not separate themselves from the Green Wave, with the match knotting up all the way to 14 before Tulane went up 15-14 on a tooled kill off the Tiger blockers. This time, Memphis caught up at 16 before Tulane went on a 5-2 run to go up 21-18 as a Green Wave scramble off a return fell in the middle of the Tiger defense that was playing deep in anticipation of a downed ball. Memphis would rally back to 27 all on a Tulane attack error, but the Green Wave called time out and Kenon downed a big kill from the left hand side to take the lead 28-27. It appeared that the Tigers would miss their opportunity in game one, with Tulane at game point, but a Tulane attack error of an overpassed ball and a Watts tip off a Gilkey dig tied the match at 29 all. But the Green Wave rallied back with a Tiger attack error and a kill to win game one, 31-29. Game two was another big Tiger lead with Memphis up 7-4. Tulane battled back, but Memphis managed to hold them off until a Nellans attack rolled back to the Tigers' side of the net for 26 all. Despite losing the lead, Memphis answered with a Watts dump on the second hit to go up 27-26. The Tigers' first block of the game was a timely one, as Gilkey and Neba downed a Tulane attack for a 28-26 lead. Tulane called time out, but Nellans came out and aced the Green Wave and a Tulane attack error gave Memphis game two 30-26. The Tigers got in a hole early in game three, 5-0, and fell behind by as many as 7-2 before finally stringing together points. Memphis used a kill from Barnett to tie the match at 13 all, and took their first lead of the third game, 14-13, on a Gilkey and Tuivai block. In all, Tuivai would finish with three block assists in the third game alone, all of them in six points of one another. That step up in the Tiger blocking game put Memphis up 18-14, but Tulane was not done. When the Green Wave put a service ace on the board as the Tigers got called for overlapping and being out of rotation, it completed a Tulane run that knotted the game at 20 all. But the Tigers answered each and every Tulane point, using a pair of kills from Nance and a tip to the 10-foot line from Barnett to win game three, 30-26. Game four was again another Tiger comeback, this time coming back from 5-1 down. The two teams battled and exchanged leads, as the fourth game alone featured nine ties. But at 18 all, Memphis went on a 4-1 run that put them up 22-19 and that was enough of a lead to put the Green Wave away, with the Tigers eventually closing out the game 30-24. Anastasia Kenon led the Green Wave with 18 kills, while Deva Fowler added 14 and Lindsey Norman, 12, in the loss.

11/22/03		Tigers Hold Off Cincinnati, 21-16 -- Memphis Has Won Five Straight Games (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Darron White ran for one touchdown and threw for another as Memphis used a late defensive stand to beat Cincinnati 21-16 on Saturday. White finished with only 3 yards rushing, but his touchdown with just under six minutes remaining gave the Tigers (8-3, 5-2 Conference USA) the winning score. It was Memphis' fifth straight victory, and marked the first time the Tigers have won eight games in a season since 1973. Cincinnati (5-6, 2-5) capitalized on several Memphis mistakes, but lost for the third time in four games. With Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine struggling with his passing, and leading rusher DeAngelo Williams injured, it was up to the Tiger defense to turn the game around trailing 16-14 entering the fourth quarter. Wesley Smith's interception and return to the Bearcat 10 set up the go-ahead touchdown run by White with 5:57 remaining. Then the Tiger defense stopped the Bearcats on the ensuing series that took Cincinnati to the Memphis 30. Williams, who leads the nation in all-purpose yards averaging 190.7 a game, left the game in the third quarter with a sprained left knee after rushing for 136 yards on 23 carries. Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli was 18-of-39 passing on the day for 272 yards, the majority to Hannibal Thomas. Thomas, who entered the game with only seven catches on the season, had 10 receptions for 173 yards. Cincinnati took advantage of Memphis miscues to lead 13-7 at the break. Wimprine, who finished 8-of-26 for 80 yards, recorded just 18 yards passing in the first half because of tight defense by the Cincinnati secondary.

11/22/03		Football Recaps -- Memphis 21, Cincinnati 16 (ConferenceUSA.com)
		Memphis, TN (Sports Network) - Darron White scored the winning touchdown and passed for another score to guide the Memphis Tigers to a 21-16 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats in Conference USA action from the Liberty Bowl. DeAngelo Williams led Memphis (8-3, 5-2 C-USA) on the ground with 136 yards on 23 carries, despite leaving the game in the third quarter with a sprained left knee. The Tigers overcame the struggles of quarterback Danny Wimprine, who completed just 8-of-26 passes for 80 yards with three interceptions. Gino Guidugli finished 18-of-39 for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Cincinnati (5-6, 2-5), which dropped its second game in a row. Guidugli's favorite target was Hannibal Thomas, who hauled in 10 passes for 173 yards and a score. Memphis drew first blood four minutes into the game with a 65-yard touchdown pass from White to Chris Kelley for the early lead. Guidugli answered for Cincinnati, hooking up with Thomas on a 28-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7 with 5:20 remaining in the first quarter. The Bearcats took the lead with an unconventional score in the second quarter, as Tyjuan Hagler returned a missed field goal 76 yards for a touchdown. The extra-point attempt failed, resulting in a 13-7 Cincinnati edge at halftime. Chris Manfredini found the distance in the third quarter for the Bearcats, splitting the uprights on a 41-yard field goal for 16-7 lead with 11:43 left in the frame. Though he struggled with his passing, Wimprine helped Memphis back into the game with a one-yard touchdown run at the 6:57 mark of the third, cutting the Tigers' deficit to 16-14. The deciding score came nearly a full quarter later, as White found the end zone for Memphis on a three-yard run with 5:57 left in regulation. The Tiger defense, besides holding Cincinnati to just three second-half points, limited the Bearcats to just 29 rushing yards in the contest.

11/22/03		2003 Conference USA Volleyball Tournament -- (4) Memphis def. (5) Tulane, 3-1 (ConferenceUSA.com)
		(4) Memphis def. (5) Tulane, 3-1 No. 4 Memphis captured a 3-1 (29-31, 30-26, 30-26, 30-24) victory over fifth-seeded Tulane in the quarterfinals of the Conference Volleyball Tournament on Saturday at Fogelman Arena. The Tigers improve to 29-5 on the season and advances to their first-ever appearance in the C-USA Tourney semifinals. Memphis will play the winner of the Cincinnati-Houston match on Sunday at 7 p.m. With the loss, tournament host Tulane fell to 25-7 overall and marked only the second loss of the season at home for the Green Wave. Brittany Barnett led Memphis with 21 kills for a .296 attack percentage, while Tiara Gilkey added 19. Heather Watts recorded her second triple-double of the season with 11 kills, 59 assists and 14 digs. With 59 assists, she also set a Memphis single-season mark. She currently has 1,713 assists on the season. “This was absolutely the biggest win for this program since I have been here,” said Memphis head coach Carrie Yerty. “We just turned in an overall team performance and every one of our players succeeded in their individual roles. This was a huge victory because Tulane is a great team and it took a huge night from us to get this win.” It was a career night for several Tigers as Melissa Nance set a career-high in kills with 12 and Nancy Nellans recorded a career-high 25 digs. For Tulane, Anastasia Kenon finished with 18 kills and Deva Fowler followed with 14. Fowler, who leads the conference in blocks, also posted nine total blocks in the match. 2003 C-USA Volleyball Tournament Saturday, Nov. 22 Match Seven (4) Memphis 29 30 30 30 (5) Tulane 31 26 26 24

11/22/03		Carney's Hot Shots Sparking Tigers' Attack (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 22, 2003 He can catch the ball on the wing, take a dribble and pull-up for three. Or sprint to the block, post up his defender and shoot over a bigger man. Or grab a rebound, outlet to his point guard, beat everybody down court and catch a lob for a dunk. If the question is "Name three ways Rodney Carney can score," that's a reasonable answer. Which is all the more impressive considering how far the University of Memphis sophomore has come to develop into that type of offensive threat. "I worked really hard this offseason," Carney said. "I worked so much on my shot that if I'm open now I'm going to hit it." Fordham (0-0) visits The Pyramid tonight at 7 to presumably play the role of victim in the U of M's home opener. And if the past few weeks are any indication, Carney will lead the Tigers (0-1) in scoring and continue to amaze onlookers with his suddenly dependable shot and imposing athletic ability. Just like in the last exhibition when he scored 37 points. Just like in the exhibition before that when he went for 38. "Rodney Carney was terrific," is how U of M coach John Calipari put it after the most recent scoring clinic. "He's going to have to put some points on the board for us." It's probably fair to mention that impressive exhibitions can sometimes lead to false perceptions and shouldn't always be a reason to get excited.. But for several reasons, Carney's pair of dominant outings seem more indicative of the future and appear to offer a glimpse of what this Indianapolis native is capable of doing. Will he score almost 40 every outing? Of course not. But can Carney consistently get 20 a game? Yes. And if his shot is falling on a given night, he'll approach 30 and single-handedly carry the Tigers. "I've put myself into the mindset of being the focal point of the offense," Carney said. "I think I can do it." The biggest reason Carney has transformed from one of the best freshmen in Conference USA to one of the best players regardless of class in the league is his jumper that has drastically improved. Carney hit nine three-pointers in the first exhibition. He backed that with four against Wake Forest in the season-opener and four more against Team Georgia on Tuesday night. That's a long way from the 0-for-7 debut he had as a freshman, but not surprising to those close to the program because Carney has buried shots at practice on a consistent basis for months. In fact, he's been so good from three-point range that U of M point guard Antonio Burks has no question who is now the Tigers' top perimeter threat. "I think Rodney is probably our best jump shooter," Burks said. "That's what I think. But I haven't told Anthony Rice about it yet." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/22/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Fordham (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 7 p.m., at The Pyramid Records: Memphis 0-1, Fordham 0-0 TV, radio: WLMT-TV (30), 7 p.m.; WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. Series standing: Series tied, 1-1 Latest line: Memphis by 21 1/2 Notables: Memphis freshman Ivan Lopez will miss tonight's contest while serving the second of a two-game NCAA suspension. Bad hamstring aside, he should be available for the Nov. 29 game against Austin Peay. . . . U of M sophomore Jeremy Hunt remains limited and practiced only briefly Friday while still feeling the effects of preseason foot surgery. The Craigmont High standout may dress tonight, but he probably won't play much if at all. . . . Keena Young, who signed with Memphis last November but never enrolled, is off to a good start in junior college. Through four games, the 6-7 forward is starting for 13th-ranked South Plains College in Levelland, Texas, and averaging 9.3 points and 7.8 rebounds. . . . This is the first of four road games for Fordham, which is led by first-year coach Dereck Whittenburg. Whittenburg coached Wagner College for the past four seasons. As a player, he was a part of the N.C. State team that won the NCAA Championship in 1983 under legendary coach Jim Valvano. . . . John Calipari has coached against and beaten Fordham twice, both times in the 1995-96 season while he was at UMass. . . . Memphis is 60-21 all-time in home-openers. . . . Fordham, which lost two starters from last year's team, was picked last in its division in the preseason Atlantic 10 poll. PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis P Yr. Ht. Pts. Antonio Burks G Sr. 6-0 13.0 Anthony Rice G Jr. 6-4 13.0 Rodney Carney F So. 6-7 19.0 Sean Banks F Fr. 6-8 10.0 Modibo Diarra C Sr. 6-11 2.0 Fordham P Yr. Ht. Pts. John Blackgrove G So. 6-2 NA Jermaine Anderson G So. 6-2 NA Drew Williamson G So. 6-4 NA Mark Jarrell-Wright F Sr. 6-5 NA Michael Haynes F Sr. 6-8 NA

11/22/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Fordham) (Commercial Appeal)
		Take advantage of the size: In what will probably be a rarity this season, Memphis is much bigger than its opponent and thus must exploit the size differential. Fordham plays three guards and doesn't have a starter taller than 6-8. So Duane Erwin and company should be able to handle things in the paint and have the confidence to do so. Get Carney going: John Calipari spent most the preseason talking about how this team wouldn't have any particular go-to guy. And though that may be true, Rodney Carney certainly looks capable of filling the role. So the Tigers should go to their talented sophomore early and see if he can get going. In the two exhibitions, Carney was virtually unguardable. Keep passing: The most noticeable difference between the opener against Wake Forest and Tuesday's exhibition against Team Georgia was that the Tigers passed the ball well in the latter and created shots for each other. On that subject, nobody is better than Antonio Burks when he wants to be. So it's important for the senior point guard to keep a similar state of mind and try to reach double-digits in assists. - By Gary Parrish

11/22/03		Tigers Top Cincy; Best Record Since '73 (Commercial Appeal)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Darron White ran for one touchdown and threw for another as Memphis used a late defensive stand to beat Cincinnati 21-16 on Saturday. White finished with only 3 yards rushing, but his touchdown with just under six minutes remaining gave the Tigers (8-3, 5-2 Conference USA) the winning score. It was Memphis' fifth straight victory, and marked the first time the Tigers have won eight games in a season since 1973. Cincinnati (5-6, 2-5) capitalized on several Memphis mistakes, but lost for the third time in four games. With Memphis quarterback Danny Wimprine struggling with his passing, and leading rusher DeAngelo Williams injured, it was up to the Tiger defense to turn the game around trailing 16-14 entering the fourth quarter. Wesley Smith's interception and return to the Bearcat 10 set up the go-ahead touchdown run by White with 5:57 remaining. Then the Tiger defense stopped the Bearcats on the ensuing series that took Cincinnati to the Memphis 30. Williams, who leads the nation in all-purpose yards averaging 190.7 a game, left the game in the third quarter with a sprained left knee after rushing for 136 yards on 23 carries. Cincinnati quarterback Gino Guidugli was 18-of-39 passing on the day for 272 yards, the majority to Hannibal Thomas. Thomas, who entered the game with only seven catches on the season, had 10 receptions for 173 yards. Cincinnati took advantage of Memphis miscues to lead 13-7 at the break. Wimprine, who finished 8-of-26 for 80 yards, recorded just 18 yards passing in the first half because of tight defense by the Cincinnati secondary.

11/22/03		Bench Play Keys Lady Tiger Win (Commercial Appeal)
		By Daniel Ford, Special to The Commercial Appeal November 22, 2003 Joye Lee-McNelis expects to see plenty of games like Friday's season-opener this year. Lee-McNelis, head coach of the Lady Tigers basketball team, watched as her bench players sparked a run midway through the first half as the Tigers pulled away from Mary land-Eastern Shore en route to an 89-63 victory. "Everyone that came off the bench contributed," Lee-McNelis said. "Whenever goodteams are able to become even better, it's their bench that plays a big part." Memphis's (1-0) bench scored 56 points, with most of those coming from Victoria Crawford and Raven Rogers. Crawford finished with 23 points and six rebounds, while Rogers had 13 points and six boards. Crawford said she was content with her performance, but still sees room for improvement for both her and her teammates. "We're never going to be where we need to be because we have high expectations," Crawford said. "Every game there are things to work on." Any player on the team could start and contribute, Rogers said. "I think our bench is as strong as our starters," Rogers said. "(Lee-McNelis) could start any body on any given night." Surina Dixon, head coach of the Hawks (0-1), said her team was never able to find its rhythm. "I think we got a little bit out of sync, we were rushing things and had a lot of turnovers," Dixon said. "I think Memphis played very well. They were aggressive and they hustled." Lee-McNelis said Memphis will have to play more under control in future games. "We turned the ball over way too much," said the 13th-year coach of her team's 26 turnovers. "We can't do that against Tennessee Tech or other teams down the road and expect to win." Memphis shot 78-percent from the free-throw line, an improvement on last season's 63 percent, which was 12th in Conference USA. Free throws were an area Lee-McNelis said she stressed during the offseason. "I thought we shot the ball well from the free-throw line," Lee-McNelis said. "That's been something that we've really been focusing on going into this season." Another goal Lee-McNelis gave to her team for their opener was to outrebound the Hawks, who boast a 6-4 center and a 6-2 forward. "Our goal was to out-rebound them by eight and we out-rebounded them by 12," Lee-McNelis said. "A lot of that goes to the energy we played with." The Tigers were 12th in Conference USA in rebounding margin last season but pulled down 49 boards to the Hawks 37. With the loss of Shannon Hamp, who averaged 16 points and 5.6 rebounds a game last year, and no real superstar this season, Lee-McNelis knows everyone will have to play their role for Memphis to be a good team. "Everybody has a part," Lee-McNelis said. "In order for us to be successful, we all have to play a part. And different people may have to do different things on different nights, but if everyone does their job and a couple of people step up then we can be successful."

11/21/03		Lady Tigers Take To The Road For Meeting With Tennessee Tech (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - This Week: The University of Memphis will hop on a bus Sunday morning headed for Cookeville, Tenn., where what has become a staunch rivalry is brewing. The Lady Tigers and the Golden Eaglettes of Tennessee Tech will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Tech has won five of the last six meetings, including a 67-64 win last season at the Fieldhouse. The last three games have been decided by less than five points, with TTU picking up the three straight victories. The Lady Tigers enter the meeting with a 1-0 record after defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore, 89-63, in the season open at the Fieldhouse Friday evening. Victoria Crawford led the Lady Tigers with 23 points off a 6-of-9 effort from the field, and a perfect 10-of-10 showing from the charity stripe. The last Lady Tiger who was flawless from the free-throw line was Tamika Whitmore who hit 10-of-10 against Austin Peay State in 1998. Raven Rogers and Princess Swilley followed Crawford in scoring with 13 points and 12 points, respectively. Tamika Butler also hit double digits with 10 points. Senior Jordie Soso dominated the boards with nine rebounds while freshman Devin Necaise dished out a team-high six assists. Scouting TTU: Tennessee Tech is 0-1 on the year after dropping a 65-52 decision to Middle Tennessee State on the road to open their season Friday evening. Casey Bradford led TTU with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. She was 6-of-9 from the field, and hit her only free-throw attempt. Jenna Baltimore was the only other Tech player in double digits with 13 points, nine of which were off treys. Tech was held to just 39.2 percent scoring from the field and was 8-of-14 from the line. The Series: The series between Tennessee Tech and Memphis has been one-sided for many years. Tech owns the 14-4 advantage, which dates back to the 1974-75 season. The Golden Eaglettes have won the last three straight meetings, and own a 4-0 record over the Lady Tigers in games played in Cookeville. The last time the two squads met on Tech's home court was during the 2001-02 season when Memphis dropped the 75-71 decision. Memphis' last win over TTU was during the 1997-98 season when the two squads met in the Pepperdine University tournament. Up Next: Memphis will be very busy this week, hosting the 18th annual Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The tournament, which is sponsored by Kroger, will also feature Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky and Nebraska. The Lady Tigers will open the tourney on Friday against EKU at 6 p.m. Ole Miss and Nebraska will meet at 8 p.m. The consolation game will be played Saturday at 5 p.m., with the championship game to follow. Memphis has won the tournament the last 11 straight years. Last season, Memphis defeated Michigan State, 59-56, in the championship game.

11/21/03		Lady Tigers Take Season-Opener From UMES 89-63 (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - Reserve guard Victoria Crawford had 18 of her game-high 23 points in the first half as the University of Memphis women's basketball team opened its 2003-2004 season with an 89-63 victory over Maryland-Eastern Shore. The Memphis bench outscored its counterpart 56-23 as Crawford and forward Raven Rogers combined for 36 points off the bench for the Lady Tigers. Crawford was perfect from the free throw line hitting all 10 of her attempts. The Lady Tigers shot 78 percent from the line as a team. A jumper by Tiffany Winkfield gave UMES a 12-10 lead, but that would mark the last time UMES would hold the lead as Crawford led Memphis on 12-0 run at the 13:19 mark. That spurt put the Lady Tigers ahead for good as Crawford tallied seven of the 12 points. UMES cut the lead to five at 34-29 with 3:59 remaining, but that would be as close as the visitors would get as the Lady Tigers closed the half on a 14-4 run. The Memphis bench outscored UMES 35-33 in the opening half as the Lady Tigers held the Lady Hawks to just 31 percent shooting from the floor. Memphis opened the second half on a 16-5 run that put the game out of reach and the Lady Tigers cruised to their second straight season-opening triumph. Princess Swilley had 10 of her 12 points after the break as Memphis forced 31 UMES turnovers. The Lady Tigers shot 44.6 percent from the field for the game and outrebounded the Lady Hawks 49-37. Senior forward Jordie Soso led the Lady Tigers with nine boards. True freshman Devin Necaise had a nice debut for the Lady Tigers scoring eight points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out a team-high six assists. Reserve guard Octavia Thompson led three Lady Hawks in double figures with 14 points. Winkfield added 13 points and LaToshia Bailey had 12. Memphis returns to action Monday on the road at Tennessee Tech with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.

11/21/03		Men's Basketball Game Notes -- Memphis To Host Fordham In 2003-04 Home Opener Saturday (GoTigersGo.com)
		GAMEDAY INFORMATION MATCH-UP - Fordham (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic 10) vs. Memphis (0-1, 0-0 C-USA) TIPOFF - 7:00 pm (CT), Saturday, Nov. 22, 2003 SITE - The Pyramid (20,004), Memphis, Tenn. RADIO INFORMATION - WMC-AM 790 will broadcast the game with Dave Woloshin (play-by-play) and Matt Dillon (analyst) calling the action. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the World Wide Web at the U of M athletics site, www.goTIGERSgo.com. TELEVISION - WLMT/UPN 30 will televise Saturday's game with Greg Gaston (play-by-play) and Jon Albright (analyst) calling the action. This is the ninth-straight year WLMT has televised Memphis Tiger basketball. THE SERIES - Saturday's contest will mark the third meeting between Memphis and Fordham University on the hardwood. The series is tied at 1-1. WHAT'S NEXT - Memphis continues its three-game homestand next Saturday, Nov. 29 against Austin Peay at The Pyramid. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT). TIGER TIPOFF The Memphis Tiger basketball team hosts its home opener Saturday against Fordham University at The Pyramid. The U of M dropped its season opener to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York Nov. 13. The Tigers won both exhibition contests with victories over the Universal All-Stars (116-70) and Team Georgia (105-77). The Fordham Rams also won their two exhibitions, defeating the Connecticut Stars (111-78) and GT Express (93-73). SCOUTING THE RAMS Fordham opens its 2003-04 campaign Saturday against Memphis. In fact, the Rams play their first four games away from home, as the road trip continues to Siena (Nov. 25), Manhattan (Nov. 29) and Fairfield (Dec. 2). Dereck Whittenburg is in his first season at the helm of the Fordham program. A member of the 1983 N.C. State squad that won the NCAA title, Whittenburg coached the previous four years at Wagner College and posted a 67-50 record. He guided the Seahawks to a 19-10 mark and an NIT berth in 2001-02, and followed that with a 21-11 record and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in 2002-03. The Rams return seven letterwinners and three starters from last year's team that went 2-26 overall and 1-15 in the Atlantic 10. Four of last year's top five scorers are back, including Michael Haynes who averaged 15.1 points. Haynes, a senior, also led the Rams on the boards last season with an 8.0 average. Jermaine Anderson is the squad's top returning three-point shooter, hitting 40 percent from the arc last year. Anderson also led the Rams in assists with 70 last season. In their two exhibitions, the Rams defeated the Connecticut Stars 111-78 and GT Express 93-73. Haynes led four players in double figures with 27 points against the Stars, while Mark Jarrell-Wright had 22 points versus GT Express to lead Fordham in that contest. The Rams averaged 26 assists in the two exhibitions (28 vs. the Stars, 24 vs. GT Express). PROBABLES/TOP RESERVES* MEMPHIS ppg rpg FORDHAM# ppg rpg F - Rodney Carney 19.0 6.0 F - Michael Haynes 15.1 8.0 F - Sean Banks 10.0 14.0 F - Mark Jarrell-Wright 11.0 4.1 F - Duane Erwin 5.0 3.0 G - Drew Williamson 6.4 2.8 G - Antonio Burks 13.0 ^9.0 G - Jermaine Anderson 5.9 2.5 G - Anthony Rice 13.0 7.0 G - John Blackgrove 9.2 1.6 R - Billy Richmond 14.0 3.0 R - Derrick Breland% 0.0 0.0 R - Modibo Diarra 2.0 6.0 R - Dominic Osei% 0.0 0.0 R - Almamy Thiero 0.0 0.0 R - Alessandro Acquaviva 0.9 0.2 * probables are based on previous game # stats are from 2002-03 season; ^ apg; % first season at Fordham MEMPHIS-FORDHAM SERIES The two schools have met two previous times on the hardwood, with both encounters coming in the 1960s. The Tigers won the first meeting in the 1962-63 campaign, a 70-49 victory in the NIT first round in New York. Two years later (1964-65), the Rams came to Memphis and defeated the Tigers 73-71 on Jan. 2, 1965. CALIPARI AGAINST FORDHAM Memphis head coach John Calipari has faced Fordham on two previous occasions, with both meetings coming in the 1995-96 campaign. Calipari's UMass Minutemen played the Rams twice that year, winning 80-50 Jan. 30, 1996, in Amherst and 73-47 Feb. 6, 1996, in New York. That was Fordham's first year in the Atlantic 10 Conference. TIGERS VERSUS THE ATLANTIC 10 Memphis has an all-time record of 19-29 against current members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The Tigers have played Dayton (7-12 record), Duquesne (0-2), Fordham (1-1), George Washington (0-1), UMass (0-1), Rhode Island (0-1), Richmond (3-0), St. Bonaventure (1-1), St. Joseph's (1-0), Temple (5-5) and Xavier (1-5). The last time Memphis played an Atlantic 10 team was the 2001-02 season when the Tigers faced Temple twice. Memphis won at Temple 64-54 in December of that year and also defeated the Owls in the NIT semifinals 78-77. MEMPHIS IN HOME OPENERS The Tigers have a record of 60-21 in home openers in their history. Last year, Memphis dropped a narrow 81-80 overtime decision to Austin Peay in the home opener at The Pyramid. Under head coach John Calipari, the Tigers are 1-2 in home openers. In their last 10 home openers, the Tigers are 7-3. Memphis' best decade for home openers was the 1980s when the Tigers posted a 9-1 record. The following shows the Tigers' home opener record by decades: Decade Home Opener Record 1920-29 7-2 1930-39 5-5 1940-49 7-2 1950-59 8-2 1960-69 8-2 1970-79 8-2 1980-89 9-1 1990-99 7-3 2000-pres. 2-2 DON'T FRET TIGER FANS Sure, Memphis dropped its regular-season opener to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic on Nov. 13. But, a setback in the regular-season opener has not been a bad omen for the Tigers, especially looking back at the last 30 years. Since the 1973-74 campaign, the Tigers have lost their season opener nine times (prior to this year), but went on to earn a postseason berth on seven of those occasions. The following chart shows that: Year Season Opener Postseason 2003-04 lost to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest 85-76 TBD 2000-01 lost to Temple 67-62 NIT Final Four/3rd place 99-2000 lost to Georgetown 71-55 None 1996-97 lost to Wisconsin 49-46 NIT First Round 1992-93 lost to Arkansas 81-76 NCAA First Round 1991-92 lost to No. 20 DePaul NCAA Elite Eight 1990-91 lost to Boston College NIT Second Round 1981-82 lost to East Tennessee State 67-62 NCAA Sweet Sixteen 1980-81 lost to Southern Illinois 69-67 None 1975-76 lost to No. 8 Louisville 79-74 NCAA First Round TIGERS PICKED FOURTH IN C-USA Memphis was picked to finish fourth in Conference USA in a preseason vote by the league's coaches. The Tigers, which won the National Division title the previous two seasons, were selected fourth behind Conference USA favorite Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. This season, C-USA is going to a 14-team division format, and each team will play 16 league games. From the 1997-98 campaign through the 2002-03 season, C-USA played a two-division format. With the new set-up, each school will play each other once for a total of 13 games. The other three games were added to the schedule based on geography, rivalries and television. Memphis' three additional contests are against Louisville, Southern Miss and TCU. GOING FOR ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON The Tigers opened their 2003-04 campaign Nov. 13, and despite the lost to Wake Forest, they are looking for their fourth-straight 20-win season. If successful, it would be the first time Memphis has had four-consecutive years of 20 or more wins since 1985-86 through 1988-89. The U of M had back-to-back 20-win years during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons as well as 1994-95 and 1995-96. Last year, Memphis posted its 20th win of the year with a 67-48 win over Cincinnati in early March, giving the Tigers their third-straight 20-win season. Right out of the gates, Memphis posted a 22-8 record in its first season of intercollegiate basketball during the 1920-21 season and has now tallied 25, 20-win seasons. Under head coach John Calipari, Memphis has averaged 24 wins a year in his first three seasons at the helm. POINT MAN Last year, senior guard Antonio Burks finished the season ranked among the Conference USA leaders in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. And, after the Tigers' first game against Wake Forest Nov. 13, he is picking up where he left off in 2002-03. Against the Demon Deacons, Burks dished out nine assists in the loss. With the nine dishes, he now has 331 for his career, the ninth most in Tiger basketball history. Despite missing five games in 2002-03, Burks played a major role during a 12-game U of M winning streak which propelled the Tigers to a national ranking and eventually an NCAA Tournament appearance. During the late-season 12-game run, Burks averaged 11.5 points, 7.5 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 47.8 percent from the field and 78.1 percent from the free throw line.

11/21/03		Lady Tigers' Foe Has Familiar Faces -- Memphis Talent Includes Top Scorer (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 21, 2003 The University of Memphis women's basketball team opens its season tonight at 7 at the Elma Roane Field House against Memphis-Eastern Shore. No, that's Maryland-Eastern Shore, but delve into the UMES roster and the alternate moniker makes sense. The UMES roster includes four Memphians, and the team's coach, Surina Dixon, spent 10 seasons as the basketball coach at Germantown Middle School, winning eight district and six county championships. Dixon also played and coached for the Memphis Blues, a minor-league women's basketball team. So it will be somewhat of a homecoming for UMES, which also will be playing its opener. "They've got a lot of Memphis players, and they are very athletic," said Lady Tiger coach Joye Lee-McNelis. UMES finished 12-17 last season but scored 102 points in an exhibition victory over NWBL Elite. "Surina has done a great job turning that program around," Lee-McNelis said. "They are athletic and explosive and have a lot of things happen in the transition game. They took 80 shots in their exhibition game." Memphian LaToshia Bailey led UMES with 23 points in their exhibition victory. The former Booker T. Washington and Southwest Tennessee standout added 11 rebounds. Other area players on the UMES roster are senior guard Tekeya Gooden (Kirby), sophomore guard Rachel Goodwin (Central) and senior forward Paula Tucker (Germantown). The Lady Tigers, 13-15 last season, will be led by senior guard Princess Swilley. Swilley fought through shoulder problems last year, but still finished with a 10.2 scoring average. Lee-McNelis expects to start the same lineup - Swilley, Jennifer Sullivan, Jordie Soso, Tamika Butler and Megan Gooch - that she employed in the preseason exhibition games. "There are a lot of things we are working on," Lee-McNelis said. "Especially our free-throw shooting and rebounding. In the five games we lost last year by five or less, we were outrebounded or we shot a lower free-throw percentage. "We've also got to work on our defense. Early in the year, you win because of defense since your rhythm isn't there on offense." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/21/03		C-USA Rankings (Commercial Appeal)
		1. TCU (10-0 overall, 7-0 in Conference USA) - Now it's up to the BCS boys to be fair about things. 2. Southern Miss (7-3, 6-0) - Even with a loss to TCU, the Golden Eagles are still second-best in this league. 3. Memphis (7-3, 4-2) - Of course, Memphis would love to get another shot at Southern Miss these days. 4. USF (6-3, 4-2) - Bulls must win to have a chance at a bowl. 5. Louisville (7-3, 4-2) - Cards must win to have a chance at salvaging what was a promising season. 6. Houston (6-4, 3-3) - Cougars must win because Art Briles is always funnier after a win. 7. UAB (4-6, 3-3) - Blazers must win because otherwise nobody in the state will know the game existed with Alabama-Auburn on tap. 8. Cincinnati (5-5, 2-4) - Bearcats must win to do away with that Web site. 9. Tulane (4-7, 2-5) - It's a shame Mewelde Moore and J.P. Losman have to finish their careers like this, and a week earlier than most. 10. East Carolina (1-9, 1-5) - Likewise, it's a shame coach Steve Logan is out of a job right now. 11. Army (0-11, 0-8) - If you gotta get beat, getting beat in Hawaii is the way to do it. - Rankings by Gary Parrish

11/21/03		C-USA Notes -- Memphis, Cincinati, Louisville, South Florida, Army, Tulane (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 21, 2003 The voice mail came a few days ago from a man claiming to live in Cincinnati and insisting it was time to fire Rick Minter. It was a message strange on two levels: 1: Why would a guy many hours away call the newspaper in Memphis and leave a voice mail about the UC football coach for a reporter who predominantly writes about basketball? 2: Why does he want to see Rick Minter fired? The answer to the first question is a mystery. But the second answer must be that Cincinnati is having a not-so-good season and, with a 5-5 record, has failed to live up to preseason expectations. Even so, getting rid of the coach isn't the way to go. And by the way, he isn't that bad. Just look at the resume. This is Minter's 10th season at Cincinnati. Before he arrived, the Bearcats had only been to three bowls - with the last coming 44 years before - and had not won a league title since 1964. So any argument must start there. In his first nine years at the school, Minter's been to four bowl games and had six winning regular seasons. UC finished second in Conference USA in 2000 and 2001 before ending a streak of 38 years without a league title last season, when it shared the championship. Minter is Cincinnati's all-time winningest coach, and off the field, he's just as solid, graduating 70 percent of his players and speaking to enough rotary clubs to last a lifetime. Simply put, that should be enough to keep your job. But at Cincinnati, the standards are apparently much higher, made evident by the development of www.firerickminter.com. The front page reads: Fan created, fan supported. Wanting the best for UC athletics. Which is fine. Any fan willing to spend all day creating Web sites and posting on message boards - or calling a writer in Memphis - deserves the best. And though Minter may not be exactly that, he's absolutely better than anything Cincinnati had before him. All things considered, give the guy break. It's all good So maybe the team got pounded at home by Memphis last week. Maybe things are going downhill a bit. But that Tom Jurich sure knows how to bring good to the surface, most recently announcing that Louisville has signed a home-and-home football series with Miami. The Cardinals will play in the Orange Bowl next season. Miami will return the favor in 2006. "We're excited to have a home-and-home series with a program as prestigious as the University of Miami," Jurich said. "It's a great opportunity for our program to have the opportunity to compete with one of the top programs in the country." Go figure 2: Number of consecutive games Louisville has lost. If it continues that streak Saturday against Houston, the Cardinals will have their first three-game losing streak since 1997. 6: Number of consecutive seasons South Florida will have had seven wins if it gets a victory in either of its next two contests. 10: Number of years since any Army athletic team has played in Hawaii, the last being when the men's basketball team participated in the Rainbow Classic. That streak ends Saturday, when Army plays at Hawaii. Jibber Jabber "Even though they're not really going to the games, I see a lot more interest as far as what's going on, how our team is doing." - Tulane quarterback J.P. Losman to The Times-Picayune of New Orleans on the lack of fan support for the Green Wave. Contact reporter Gary Parrish at 529-2365; E-mail: parrish@commercialappeal.com

11/21/03		Tigers Adjust Again For Ailing Receivers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 21, 2003 He lost the team's leading receiver, Tavares Gideon, to a season-ending, offseason knee injury. He lost promising receiver Von Webb to a torn anterior cruciate ligament in a late August practice. And last weekend at Louisville, University of Memphis receivers coach Clay Helton suffered another loss, perhaps the most damaging. Leading receiver Maurice Avery injured ligaments in his left knee and will miss at least three weeks, keeping him out of Saturday's Conference USA game against Cincinnati and next week's regular-season finale against South Florida. But, if anything, Helton has grown accustomed to adapting to change during his first year as U of M's receivers coach. He said Plan C went into effect this week. Avery and LaDarius Price had been sharing the 'H' receiver spot, but Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium it will be Price and Darron White. "We're just going to have to step up our play," Helton said. "Maurice had accounted for 74 yards of offense per game, so someone else is going to have to do that. One of our seven (receivers) will. I know they will." Helton said he had operated with two players at each of the four receiver spots until Avery's injury. "We had two 'Zs', two 'Ys', two 'Hs' and two 'Xs,' and they rolled themselves when they were tired," Helton said. "Now there will have to be more communication. We'll have to do a good job communicating and those guys will have to step up and make big plays." White is the likely candidate. He is the team's third-leading receiver (behind Avery and running back DeAngelo Williams) with 32 catches for 442 yards and four touchdowns. He's also rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns. A former high school running back at Covington, White gives the position the tailback/receiver combination that Avery possessed. "I have a lot of confidence in Darron White," West said. "I think he can step in. Shoot, he's had a great year." White has big-play touchdowns rushing and receiving this season. "Darron White has made big plays," Helton said. "You saw in our last game (at Louisville) that he made a critical play in the third quarter for a touchdown (a 19-yard TD reception). He's been a big-play guy, and there's no doubt that LaDarius Price can be a big-play guy, too." Price hasn't been as involved as White, but has shown big-play ability. He has a 47-yard reception among his 169 receiving yards. He also has rushed nine times for 43 yards. When the Tigers show a four-receiver set, Helton said junior-college transfer Chris Kelley will become the other inside receiver. Kelley had his best game of the season at Louisville, making three catches for 29 yards. Kelley had an 18-yard pickup to the Louisville 2 early in third quarter that set up quarterback Danny Wimprine's 1-yard touchdown keeper. The TD gave the Tigers a 28-7 lead. "Chris Kelley made three catches last weekend, including two critical third-down catches," Helton said. "He had a great game." Kelley said he has gotten a considerable amount of repetitions during the season, so he's prepared for the additional workload. "It really hurts having (Avery) out," Kelley said. "Hopefully, we can get him back in the next few weeks (for the postseason)." The Tigers are expected to receive their first bowl bid since 1971. Helton said White, Price and Kelley will rotate among the two inside receiver spots. "If we get in an emergency situation, then Darren Garcia has played inside before," Helton said. "But you are talking about a four-receiver offense going with seven receivers." But throughout this turnaround season, the Tigers have proven to be resourceful. "We're going to have to be creative offensively to put pressure on you in some other way," West said. - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/20/03		C-USA Volleyball Awards Announced (GoTigersGo.com)
		CHICAGO - Conference USA announced its 2003 volleyball awards winners prior to the start of the 2003 C-USA Tournament in New Orleans. Cincinnati claimed three individual honors, including Player of the Year, Setter of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Coach of the Year honors went to Santiago Restrepo of Southern Miss, while Tulane's Karlyn Daly earned Defensive Player of the Year accolades. For the first time, Restrespo claimed Coach of the Year accolades after directing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles to a 27-5 record, the most wins in school history. USM, who finished the season with an 11-3 conference record, earned its highest berth ever in the C-USA Tournament with a No. 3 seed. Restrepo currently has a career record of 127-71 (.641) in three years at Southern Miss. Cincinnati's Julie DuPont earned C-USA Player of the Year honors after leading the Bearcats to a share of the 2003 regular season title. DuPont currently leads the conference in kills with 5.56 per game (5.56 pg) and points (6.40) She has led UC in kills in all but four matches this season, including eight 20-plus kill performances. Laura Lauder, who helped the Bearcats lead the conference in team assists (16.02 pg), was named C-USA Setter of the Year. For most of the season, Lauder led the nation in assists and she currently ranks third in the nation with 14.25 assists per game. She also stands in second place on C-USA's all-time assist list with a total of 5,760. Tulane's Daly earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year laurels, after ranking second in the league with an average of 4.47 digs per game. She set Tulane's single-season record for digs with a total of 465, eclipsing the old mark of 464 set by Britney Hurst last season. DuPont, Lauder and Daly were joined on the all-league first team by Louisville's Sonja Percan and Lena Ustymenko, USF's Shameka Mitchell, and Tulane's Deva Fowler. The second team consists of Houston's Loure Dewes and Jaci Gonzalez, Marquette's Theresa Coughlin, Memphis' Brittany Barnett, Andrea Bush and Bridget Files of Southern Miss, and Tulane's Anastasia Kenon. Earning third team All-Conference honors were Cincinnati's Lindsey Garrison and Rachel Torblaa, Louisville's Bing Sun, Memphis' Tiara Gilkey and Heather Watts, TCU's Dominika Szabo and UAB's Martina Shields. Myanna Hellsten of Cincinnati was named the Freshman of the Year, after leading the UC squad and ranking third in the conference with 1.30 blocks per game. She currently is only 17 blocks away from breaking the C-USA freshman record for total blocks (UAB's Hailey Isham and Terri Steeb both posted 146 blocks in 1995.) Hellsten was joined on the all-freshman squad by East Carolina's Jamie Bevan, Houston's Kelly McAnelly, Louisville's Anastasia Yartseva, TCU's Anna Vaughn and UAB's Bilun Gunal. Cincinnati produced the most all-conference selections with four, while Louisville, Memphis and Tulane each earned three selections. The four-day Conference USA Volleyball Tournament begins on Friday, Nov. 21 at Fogelman Arena in New Orleans. The championship game on Monday will be televised by the Conference USA Television Network. Don Russell will announce the play-by-play with Amy Prichard providing the commentary. College Sports Television, Comcast Charter Sports Southeast, New Orleans' Cox Sports Television, Charlotte Cable Television and WXIV-TV (Greensboro, N.C.) will carry the event live. Fox Sports Net Chicago and Fox Sports Net Florida will air the event tape delayed. Please check your local listings for times. First Team All-C-USA Julie DuPont, OH, Cincinnati Laura Lauder, S, Cincinnati Sonja Percan, OH, Louisville Lena Ustymenko, OH/MB, Louisville Shameka Mitchell, MB, USF Deva Fowler, MB, Tulane Karlyn Daly, L, Tulane Second Team All-C-USA Loure Dewes, MH, Houston Jaci Gonzalez, L, Houston Theresa Coughlin, OH, Marquette Brittany Barnett, OH, Memphis Andrea Bush, OH, Southern Miss Bridget Files, MB, Southern Miss Anastasia Kenon, OH, Tulane Third Team All-C-USA Lindsey Garrison, L, Cincinnati Rachel Torblaa, MB, Cincinnati Bing Sun, OH, Louisville Tiara Gilkey, OH, Memphis Heather Watts, S, Memphis Dominika Swabo, OH, TCU Martina Shields, OH, UAB All-Freshman Team Myanna Hellsten, MB, Cincinnati Jamie Bevan, MB, East Carolina Kelly McAnelly, OH, Houston Anastasia Yartseva, OH/MB, Louisville Anna Vaughn, MB, TCU Bilun Gunal, S, UAB Player of the Year: Julie DuPont, Cincinnati Coach of the Year: Santiago Restrepo, Southern Miss Setter of the Year: Laura Lauder, Cincinnati Defensive Player of the Year: Karlyn Daly, Tulane Freshman of the Year: Myanna Hellsten, Cincinnati

11/20/03		Hamilton Star Heads Talented U of M Class (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact November 20, 2003 In the end, Shawne Williams listened to his beloved granddaddy. Of all of his family members, Hamilton's senior standout is perhaps closest to his grandfather, Leon Williams. So when it came time to make a decision about where to go to college, the younger Williams took the elder's counsel. Flanked by family members, including his grandfather, Williams signed a national letter of intent with the University of Memphis on Wednesday, ending speculation about where the top-20 national recruit would play college basketball. A 6-9 swingman ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 5 senior prospect, Williams wore a blue U of M cap and breathed a sigh of relief upon closing his recruitment on the final day of the early signing period. "There were a lot of people telling me I should leave; it's confusing," Williams said. "My granddaddy told me to go where I wanted to go. He knew I had been wanting to go to the University of Memphis since I was 5 or 6. "I know I made the right decision." Williams, who averaged 18 points and eight rebounds as a junior for the Wildcats, considered Kansas, Houston, Cincinnati and Tennessee before sticking with the school he committed to in July. Two weeks ago, Williams distanced himself from that commitment and said he "probably wouldn't sign" during the early signing period. He expressed an interest in visiting other schools and said he seriously considered taking trips to Kansas and Houston. But Hamilton coach Ted Anderson maintained the U of M was Williams's likely destination and said the player had had only preliminary contact with the other schools on his list. "Most people felt he was going to (the U of M) anyway and were concerned about the seriousness of his effort with them," Anderson said. "They would have loved for it to have gone further." Williams said Washington point guard Andre Allen's decision to walk on at the U of M made his decision to sign with the Tigers easier. Williams and Allen were teammates on the Memphis YOMCA team that won the 17-and-under AAU national title this summer in Orlando. "(Other teams) don't even want to see us together," Williams said. "He's my right hand. I hope I'm his left hand." Williams is suffering from sore shins and missed Tuesday's exhibition win against Overton. "I'm supposed to be on crutches right now, but I'm not," he said after sipping orange juice in the hall outside the Hamilton gym. "I didn't want to look like I'm hurt (in front of everyone)." Next season, Williams will join a U of M lineup that could have a logjam at the small forward position if Rodney Carney and Sean Banks both return. "I have no worries," Williams said. "I'm top-15 in the nation. I should have no worries about playing time." - Jim Masilak: 529-2311

11/20/03		Odd Recruiting Saga Ends Happily For Tigers, Calipari (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 20, 2003 Shawne Williams, Darius Washington, Richard Dorsey and Kareem Cooper have each sent letters of intent to the University of Memphis. That means that despite all the uncertainty and confusion of the past week, John Calipari may have landed his best recruiting class at the U of M. "It's a very good class," Jeff Goodman, a recruiting analyst who works for TheInsiders.com, said while pointing out that Booker T. Washington point guard Andre Allen is a bonus as a walk-on. "In Williams, Washington and Dorsey, you have three guys who can come in and have a huge impact right away. "I think it's a top 10-ish national class." Which is a pleasant ending to what has been one of the strangest recruiting sagas this city has ever seen. It began with the first day of the early signing period passing without any letters of intent for Memphis despite five players previously committing to the school. That was last Wednesday. And the next 48 hours were exactly the same, which prompted Calipari to say he was "battling" negative recruiting tactics from other schools that were "tampering" with his prospects. Regardless, Washington told The Commercial Appeal last Saturday afternoon that he signed and faxed his letter of intent to Memphis that morning. Then on Tuesday, his mother reiterated the point while one of Dorsey's coaches, Jay Couch, told The Commercial Appeal that his star prospect had also signed and faxed his paperwork to the U of M. Even so, Calipari said after Tuesday night's exhibition game that he still had no letters of intent. The fourth-year coach added that the prospects - concerned because other schools had insisted he was leaving Memphis - were holding them to wait and see what was happening with Calipari's ongoing contract negotiations Told that representatives of two prospects said they had already faxed their letters of intent, Calipari disputed the claim and said, "That's not true. They can say what they're saying. . . . The thing at this point, letters have been signed. They just haven't been sent." As for what happened to Washington's first fax, nobody knows for sure. Meanwhile, Laurinburg (N.C) Prep coach Chris Chaney called The Commercial Appeal Wednesday to explain why the U of M didn't get Dorsey's letter of intent until a day later than his staff previously said it was delivered. "It started last week, and Richard was ready to sign, but then he had some second thoughts," Chaney said. "Auburn, Miami, anybody you can name was calling. But then Richard came in (Tuesday) morning and told us that he wanted to sign with Memphis. So when people called, we told them that Richard had signed and faxed his paperwork just to get other schools off his back. "I told Jay to say it was already signed and faxed," Chaney added. "I'll take the blame for that. But it is there now." The one commitment who did not sign with Memphis is Lithonia (Ga.) High standout Robert Dozier, who apparently went against his father's wishes by not following through on his oral allegiance. Robert Dozier Sr. told The Commercial Appeal Wednesday night that he wanted his son to sign with Memphis and was upset that he didn't. "I don't know what's going on," the elder Dozier said. "I wish he would've just signed with coach Calipari so we could get this over with. But he just told me he wasn't ready to sign, and I didn't want to pressure my son." Because Dozier didn't sign, the Tigers have one more grant to give and could've also used it early. Memphis did not release its signings Wednesday, and Calipari declined comment on the situation. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/20/03		Tiger Basketball Signings (Commercial Appeal)
		Kareem Cooper, 6-11 center, Laurinburg (N.C.) Charter. Richard Dorsey, 6-8 forward, Laurinburg (N.C.) Prep. Darius Washington, 6-0 guard, Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater High. Shawne Williams, 6-9 forward, Hamilton High.

11/20/03		UC Defense Braces For Test (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 20, 2003 Coaches, like salesmen, are forever in search of an angle. And during Cincinnati's preseason football workouts, co-defensive coordinators Mark Criner and Mike Kolakowski apparently found one. They introduced "The Chain" as a reminder that this defense would only be as strong as its weakest link. And so, throughout the season, Bearcat defenders have taken turns carrying this heavy towing chain to and from the practice field. Given that Cincinnati ranks third in Conference USA and 19th nationally in total defense (315.8 yards per game), "The Chain" has worked pretty well. The Bearcat defense meets up with the powerful University of Memphis offense at 1 p.m. Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. And as much as the Tigers (7-3, 4-2) want this game, the Bearcats (5-5, 2-4) need it to help keep slim bowl hopes alive. "We've been in this position before, of having to go to Memphis to try to sneak one," said Cincinnati coach Rick Minter. "That order will be a little taller this time. I said last summer that I thought Memphis would be one of the most improved teams in the league. "They're moving the ball quite well on offense. . . . Right now, our Achilles' heel on our football team is scoring points. And we're giving away more than we're scoring. We can't do that. Our kicking game is giving points away on turnovers. The whole burden is being cast upon our defense." On the guys carrying that chain. "Up to this point, we've played pretty well," said Bearcats linebacker Jamar Enzor, who leads the team with 113 tackles. "We have high expectations for our defense." The Bearcats believe they can do better and will need to do better against the Tigers, who lead the league in total offense (466.7 yards), scoring offense (32.9 points) and passing offense (274.9 yards). Quarterback Danny Wimprine and running back DeAngelo Williams are huge parts of this, obviously, and it's Williams's speed that sets this offense apart. "We've got a lot of speed on defense," said Bearcat safety Doug Monaghan. "This is definitely the fastest defense we've had in my three years here. The biggest thing has been stopping the run. We've got fast linebackers who can get to the edge whenever teams want to bounce it to the outside." "We know Memphis likes to run a lot of bootlegs and misdirection plays." The Memphis offense has succeeded with a young, inexperienced, offensive line by relying on protection schemes that feature sprint-outs and quick drops. But the Bearcats also are aware of how imaginative the play calling has been. "They do a lot of trickery," said Enzor. "We're going to have to play a physical game." Said Monaghan: "We need to create some turnovers and get our offense on the field because our offense has been struggling. And we need to get them (good field position), not on our own 30-yard-line. It's a challenge to us." A challenge they must meet if they're to reach a bowl for the fourth straight year. "Any loss," said defensive end Andre Frazier, "and it's over." - Don Wade: 529-2358

11/20/03		Tigers-Cincinnati Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		Bowl bonus: With the University of Memphis expected to receive its first bowl bid since 1971, Tiger coach Tommy West is in line to earn some holiday spending money. West's contract calls for a $15,000 bonus if the Tigers participate in a postseason bowl game. If the Tigers were to earn an AXA Liberty Bowl bid, considered a longshot, West would receive a $25,000 bonus. As a comparison, Tiger basketball coach John Calipari receives $20,000 if the U of M is invited to the NCAA Tournament. While TCU coach Gary Patterson is expected to receive strong consideration for C-USA Coach of the Year honors, should West win the award for turning the Tiger program around he would receive a $10,000 bonus. When asked about the bonus money, West said he hadn't looked at his contract. "I don't pay attention to thatstuff," West said. "I know there's a bonus for my assistants if we go to a bowl game because I look at that stuff." Where's DeAngelo? The SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors announced its semifinalists for the 2003 Doak Walker Award Wednesday and University of Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams did not make the cut. A Williams did make it - Alabama's Shaud - but the Tigers' Williams, a sophomore from Wynne, Ark., failed to advance in voting conducted by the award's 144-member selection committee. Williams, the top rusher in Conference USA, leads the nation in all-purpose yardage and ranks fourth nationally in rushing. He has gained a school-record 1,294 yards this season and leads C-USA with 13 touchdowns. The Doak Walker Award finalists are Michigan's Chris Perry, Oregon State's Steven Jackson, Virginia Tech's Derrick Knight, Kansas State's Darren Sproles, Northern Illinois's Michael Turner and Alabama's Williams. Each of the finalists is either a junior or senior. The award has been given annually to the top running back since 1990. Streak in jeopardy: Cincinnati is in jeopardy of ending its string of postseason bowl appearances. The Bearcats have been to three straight bowl games, but are 5-5 entering Saturday's game against Memphis at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Cincinnati needs at least one victory in its final two games to become bowl eligible and may need to beat Memphis and Louisville to earn a bid. Four C-USA teams - TCU, Southern Miss, Memphis and Louisville - enter games this week with at least seven wins. USF and Houston have six each. C-USA has tie-ins with five bowl games. - By Phil Stukenborg

11/20/03		Swilley Begins Season Healthy, With New Image (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 20, 2003 They can rebuild her... The Princess playing point guard for the University of Memphis enters her senior season with a surgically repaired shoulder, a new approach to leadership and the coolest image on campus. No, Princess Swilley is not the Bionic Woman, but she will try to play the role of superhero for the Lady Tigers this season. The U of M's season begins Friday night at the Elma Roane Field House with a game against Maryland-Eastern Shore. "The success of our team depends on her," says U of M coach Joye Lee-McNelis. "She's got to take the big shots for us. She's got to take those shots and stick them in the basket." Swilley averaged 10.2 points last season, or 2.6 fewer than she did as a sophomore, in large part because she played every game with an injured left shoulder - or, as the media guide calls it, a "recurrent subluxation." That led to a season in which she shot only 38.6 percent from the field and Lady Tigers went 11-17. U of M trainer Mike Rodrigues said Swilley probably should have had surgery to repair the shoulder after the 2001-02 season, but, instead, it got worse. Swilley suffered through a 2002-03 in which the shoulder popped out of place in the middle of practices and games. Surgery in March did repair the shoulder, and six months of rehab has Swilley's shoulder feeling as good as new. She's shooting the ball better and displaying that fearless attitude on defense that fans came to appreciate in her first two seasons. And there's still that blazing speed. "My shoulder is the least of my problems," Swilley says. "That (the first exhibition) was my first game in two years without my shoulder bothering me." Swilley's biggest contribution to the team, however, may not be seen in box scores. Instead, McNelis would like to see it on display in practice and in huddles. Swilley, who is from tiny Itt, Miss., has transformed from shy country girl to one of the most outgoing players on the team. Itt, says McNelis, is a town with a stoplight, a church and a basketball court (it was a dirt court when Swilley was growing up). "When I first got here, they couldn't get me to say two words," Swilley says. "And now you can ask anybody, my teammates and boosters, they'll tell you that now, I can't stop talking." For her new image, Swilley can thank Rodrigues's wife, Jennifer, who is the associate media relations director at the U of M. She's the one who came up with the idea for the cover of the Lady Tiger basketball media guide. It features a closeup photograph of Swilley's face, with a rip down the right side, as if a mask is being peeled away. On the portion that is pulled back, the face of a Tiger is busting through, with its hazel eye in exact proportion to Swilley's own hazel eye. "I don't think we could've done that photo with anybody but Princess," Jennifer said. "She really likes it, and she really deserves it." The cover has received rave reviews, and Rodrigues, who has won awards for past media guide covers, ought to win more with this one. "The players loved it and really went crazy over it," McNelis says. Swilley said she was not sure what to think about the concept but was blown away when it finally came together. "That was just so unbelievable," Swilley says. "That's part of the reason I came here. It was just amazing, and I'm still getting feedback on it. It's an honor to be part of it." - Zack McMillin: 529-2564

11/20/03		Where Are They Now? Stan Jones, Tiger Basketball, 1977-79 (Commercial Appeal)
		Stan Jones Tiger basketball, 1977-79 The national signing period ended Wednesday, which means Stan Jones can finally breathe. "The world of recruiting is always interesting," Jones said via telephone from his office at Florida State. "It's busy." It's been a wild ride for Jones since he left Memphis in 1979. After two years as a walk-on for the basketball team, the Memphis native - he grew up near Kingsbury High - became the coach at First Christian Academy. Nine years later, Jones moved to Jackson (Miss.) Academy. Then five years after that he hooked up with Leonard Hamilton at Miami, which led to Jones becoming an NBA assistant when Hamilton became coach of the Washington Wizards in 2000. "I've been very fortunate," Jones said. "It's been nice." Jones spent the 2001-02 season at Mississippi State after the entire staff was fired after one year with the Wizards. Now he's in his second year as the associate head coach at Florida State, and he still keeps track of the Tigers. "It's funny because we actually played an exhibition (Monday night) and David Vaughn was on the team," Jones said. "So we talked about Memphis and what was going on there. To be honest, one of the first things I do almost every morning is go to The Commercial Appeal Web site just to see what's going on with the Tigers." - By Gary Parrish

11/20/03		Tiger Athletes Of The Week (DeAngelo Williams - Football, Shella Neba - Volleyball) (Commercial Appeal)
		MALE DeAngelo Williams Sophomore running back Williams recorded his Conference USA-record ninth consecutive 100-yard game in the U of M's 37-7 victory at Louisville on Saturday. The Arkansas native finished with 154 yards while scoring his league-leading 13th touchdown. FEMALE Shella Neba Senior volleyball player Neba had 22 kills and 10 blocks in two matches over the weekend - a loss to Southern Miss and win over Tulane. The effort against Tulane helped Memphis secure a first-round bye in the Conference USA Tournament and improved the Tigers' record to 28-5.

11/20/03		Five Questions With R.C. Johnson, U of M Athletic Director (Commercial Appeal)
		Q: These are pretty fun times around the football program. What's been the response from fans to the 7-3 record? A: It's been phenomenal. I don't think that I've gone anywhere this week where I haven't had somebody say something about Tiger football. Q: So what's up with the bowl situation? Do you have an idea of where you might go yet? A: There has been no pre-selection about who is going where, and part of that is because of TCU and the BCS and part of it is that there are an awful lot of key games left. So I don't think we'll know for a while. Q: TCU might not guarantee themselves a BCS slot even if they go undefeated. But do you think the BCS would take the Horned Frogs regardless just to avoid the bad public relations that would come with leaving out an undefeated school? A: They might. If they're in the top six, they have to go. And if they have nine wins and are in the top 12, they are eligible. And I'm not so sure - with everything that is going on in Washington, D.C., and all across the country - that this wouldn't be a pretty good year to be a non-BCS at-large candidate. Q: If TCU went to a BCS bowl, that would mean the AXA Liberty Bowl would be open. Memphis would be the obvious choice. Is that exciting? A: I think it would really be fun. I think it would really be neat to have Memphis in the Liberty Bowl. I just think it would be so exciting and give all of our fans a chance to see us in person. But the team, I'm sure, would cut off their left arm to go to Hawaii. Q: Hawaii might be nice this time of the year. But from a financial standpoint, wouldn't playing in the Liberty Bowl be much nicer than paying for a whole team to go to Hawaii? A: From a fiscal standpoint there is no question which is better. But from a fun standpoint, I think the kids would like to be at the beaches. Those turkeys. - By Gary Parrish

11/20/03		Tiger Notes (Volleyball, Basketball, Soccer, Golf) (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 20, 2003 Sure, the football team is doing fine. A record of 7-3 isn't too bad. But it's not 28-5, which technically means the University of Memphis volleyball team is having the best season on campus. "I think this might be the best record in the history of our school, and we're hoping to get an NCAA Tournament bid," said Tiger athletic director R. C. Johnson. "I am just so proud of (coach) Carrie (Yerty) because she's had her share of adversity. I'm really proud of the job she's done in rallying everybody around, and I'm proud of the performance of the team." With a stellar regular season, Memphis earned the fourth-seed in the Conference USA Tournament and received a first-round bye. The Tigers will play their initial tournament match in the quarterfinals against either fifth-seeded Tulane or 12th-seeded Saint Louis in New Orleans on Saturday at 6 p.m. The Tigers have already beaten both of those schools this season. With a win, the Tigers would advance to a semifinal Sunday at 7 p.m. The championship match is Monday at 7 p.m. Still no arena word Will the Tiger basketball team stay in The Pyramid or move to FedExForum? The question still lingers, and there's still no answer. "When there's something, there will be an official announcement," Johnson said. "We had been talking and looking at numbers. But I was in New York (with the basketball team), and then I went to Louisville, (with the football team) and we really just haven't gotten together recently." Getting high marks The Lady Tiger soccer team is one of 336 intercollegiate soccer programs that posted a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and earned an NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2002-2003 academic year. "This is a great award because it shows our girls work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the playing field," said Memphis coach Brooks Monaghan, whose team had a 3.22 grade point average. "Academic achievements sometimes get overlooked, but this is a nice way to give our girls the recognition they deserve." The awards will be presented at the College Coaches Luncheon on Jan. 15 in Charlotte. Signings galore The men's golf program announced Wednesday that Cordova High's Ian Rochester and Canadian standouts Robbie Greenwell and Gavin Aldridge have signed letters of intent. Rochester is currently ranked as the No. 4 player in the state by NJGA.com. (National Junior Golf Association). Rochester recently tied for fourth in the TSSAA Class AAA state tournament and placed in the top 20 in this year's Bubba Conlee National Junior. Also Wednesday, it was announced that Ashley Liford of San Antonio signed with the U of M volleyball program. "Ashley has great jumping ability and is very athletic and has very solid fundamental skills," Yerty said. "She has been a member of the high-performance selection team for two straight years and is one of the top players out of the state of Texas. We'll move her to an outside hitter spot, where she will immediately compete for playing time next season."

11/19/03		Volleyball Ready For C-USA Championships (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team (28-5, 9-4 C-USA) will leave at 7 a.m. Thursday morning for a bus ride to New Orleans, La., where they will await word of their first-round opponent in the Conference USA Championships. The Tigers do know they will play at 6 p.m., Saturday. Their first-round opponent will be determined Friday night in a 6 p.m. match. The Tigers received a first-round bye, their first-ever, thanks to a fourth-place finish in the C-USA regular season standings. Memphis will face either No. 5 seed and host Tulane in the quarterfinals, or No. 12 seed Saint Louis. Both the Tigers and the Billikens faced the Green Wave last weekend, with Tulane prevailing 3-2 in St. Louis, and falling 3-1 at Memphis. The tournament No. 1 seed could potentially be awaiting the winner of the Memphis quarterfinal, but the Cincinnati Bearcats first have to get by either No. 8 seed Houston or No. 9 USF, who prevented the Bearcats from claiming the Conference USA title outright with a victory over the Bearcats in Tampa last Saturday. Memphis will be making its first second round appearance since 2001, when the Tigers downed Tulane, 3-0, in the first round of the C-USA tournament in Houston. Memphis was then defeated by No. 1 seed Cincinnati, 3-0, in the quarterfinals. The Tigers have never gone deeper than the second round in a Conference USA Tournament. USF won the C-USA Tournament title in 2002, after sharing the regular season crown with Louisville. Both Louisville and Cincinnati come into this year's tournament nationally-ranked and both shared the regular season title this year after Cincinnati's loss on the final day of the regular season in Tampa. The Conference USA All-Conference honorees will be announced Thursday. The all-conference teams will be posted at www.c-usasports.com and will be posted on www.gotigersgo.com later in the day after the Tigers' bus arrives in New Orleans. Tiger Notes --Head Coach Carrie Yerty moved above the .500 mark in career play with Memphis' outstanding 28-5 season. Yerty is now 138-127. Emily Steckel - Steckel saw action against both Southern Miss and Tulane last weekend, posting three digs against Southern Miss. Hristina Slancheva - Slancheva dropped from No. 1 to No. 3 in the league in service aces after finishing the weekend without an ace against Tulane and Southern Miss. That marked just the first time all season Slancheva had gone without an ace in two straight matches. Tiara Gilkey - Gilkey stretched her double-digit kill streak to 12 straight matches with 18 kills against Southern Miss and 13 against Tulane. But Gilkey's hitting percentage suffered last week, hitting .122 against USM and .083 against Tulane. Gilkey has hit .300 against three C-USA opponents (Saint Louis, Houston, East Carolina) after hitting .300 or higher 10 times against non-conference opponents. The junior outside hitter has posted three-straight double-doubles though, finishing with 20 kills against USM and 16 against Tulane. She also tied a season-high with seven assists against USM. Jennie Toronto - Toronto did not play last week against USM or Tulane. Fehi Tuivai - Tuivai is finding her way into the line-up when Memphis needs someone else to step up the blocking or present a different look from the attack and the serving area. Tuivai had one kill, one assist and two digs in the 3-2 loss to USM, but hit .429 with four kills and one block assist in the win over Tulane. Nancy Nellans - Nellans has drawn her share of attention from the rest of the league after emerging as a force early in the conference schedule against UAB, USF and Marquette. Nellans has posted three double-doubles (kills-digs), but is looking to hit over the .100 mark for the first time in four matches in the Tigers' quarterfinal match. Melissa Nance - Nance has found her hitting percentage affected a bit with the switch to league play. With opponents having more time to scout the teams, Nance's opportunities on the offensive side have been expected. The freshman is unfazed by the attention though, finishing with six kills against USM and adding three block assists in the loss. Nance also added five service aces last weekend, two against USM and three against Tulane. Christen Clayton - Clayton has really emerged the last three matches, especially as teams are trying to hit everything deep and to the corners on Memphis. Clayton responded with 19 digs against USM after a career-best outing of 22 digs at Charlotte. The freshman from Houston, Texas, added 11 digs in the 3-1 win over Tulane, Saturday. Heather Watts - Watts is just 24 assists shy of setting a new single season mark in assists, with 1,654 helpers already in the books. The second-leading assist player in Memphis history, Watts added four service aces to lead the Tigers with 59 aces on the season. That total is the 10th-best single season mark in Tiger history and moved Watts to 8th in career history with one year of eligibility remaining. Watts also added her second straight Co-SIDA Academic All-District Honor last week, earning first team honors and advancing to the national ballot for Academic All-America honors. Brittany Barnett - Barnett stretched her double-digit kill streak to 32 straight matches with a 23-kill outing vs. Southern Miss and a 12-kill outing in the win over Tulane. Barnett hit .383 against USM, one of the only hitters to be effective in the first two games against the Golden Eagles, and hit .237 against Tulane. Barnett is currently fourth in school history in career kills and sixth in career attacks. Her 478 kills this season is the 9th-best mark in school history and she has also broke into the career top 10 in digs (1125). Shella Neba - Neba posted double-digit kills on back-to-back nights for just the third time all season in the final conference weekend last weekend. Neba hit .435 on senior night in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, finishing with 12 kills and four total blocks. Currently third in school history with 323 career block assists, Neba's 115 block assists so far this year is also the third-best single season mark in Tiger history. Kristen Hardee - Hardee played in both matches last weekend, hitting negative in the loss to Southern Miss and downing one kill with one dig in the win over Tulane. The sophomore has 74 kills on the season and is hitting .128.

11/19/03		Lady Tigers Open Season Friday (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, TENN. - This Week: The University of Memphis will open its regular season this week when the Lady Tigers host Maryland-Eastern Shore at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse on Friday. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. The Lady Tigers completed their exhibition contests last week with wins over Henderson State and Christian Brothers. Senior Jordie Soso recorded a double-double against CBU with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while junior Victoria Crawford came off the bench against Henderson St. to score 21 points and haul in eight rebounds in 27 minutes of action. Freshman Devin Necaise made a strong case for playing time against HSU, scoring 12 points and dishing out eight assists. Senior Princess Swilley was the only Lady Tiger to post double digit scoring in both contests with 14 versus HSU, and 10 against CBU. Scouting UMES: The Hawks will also be opening their regular season on Friday after posting a 102-97 victory over the NWBL Elite Travel squad in exhibition action. The game in Memphis is a homecoming of sorts for UMES, as four Hawks hail from the Memphis area, and head coach Surina Dixon served 10 years as the head coach at Germantown Middle School before making the jump to collegiate athletics. Memphian LaToishia Bailey led the Hawks in scoring and was second in rebounding against the NWBL with 23 points and 11 rebounds. She was 7-of-13 from the field and 9-of-14 from the free-throw line. Octavia Thompson and Laconia Hatcher also scored big for the Hawks with 22 points and 21 points, respectively. Senior Tiffany Winkfield is the leading returning scorer and rebounder for UMES. She averaged 11.8 points and 9.1 rebounds last season. The 6-2 forward posted 12 points and 14 rebounds in their exhibition meeting. The Series: The series between the U of M and UMES is only one game strong. The only time the two teams met was in 2001-02 when the Lady Tigers rolled off the 84-58 victory in the home opener that year. Up Next: The University of Memphis will hop on a bus Sunday morning headed for Cookeville, Tenn., where what has become a staunch rivalry is brewing. The Lady Tigers and the Golden Eaglettes of Tennessee Tech will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Tech has won five of the last six meetings, including a 67-64 win last season at the Fieldhouse. The last three games have been decided by less than five points, with TTU picking up the three straight victories. Memphis will be very busy next week, hosting the 18th annual Lady Tiger Thanksgiving Classic. The tournament, which is sponsored by Kroger, will also feature Ole Miss, Eastern Kentucky and Nebraska. The Lady Tigers will open the tourney on Friday against EKU at 6 p.m. Ole Miss and Nebraska will meet at 8 p.m. The consolation game will be played Saturday at 5 p.m., with the championship game to follow.

11/19/03		Volleyball Inks Texas Signee (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis Volleyball Head Coach Carrie Yerty announced that Ashley Liford from James Madison High School in San Antonio, Texas, has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Tigers in 2003-04. Liford comes to the Tigers with a number of prep accolades. She was a member of the USA Volleyball High Performance Youth program last summer, and was labeled as a player to watch by LoneStarVolleyball.com. "Ashley has great jumping ability and is very athletic and who has very solid fundamental skills," Yerty said. "She has been a member of the high-performance selection team for two straight years and is one of the top players out of the state of Texas. We'll move her to an outside hitter spot, where she will immediately compete for playing time next season. We're thrilled to sign such an outstanding student as well as athlete." She helped her senior squad to a 24-8 record in 2003 under Head Coach Renata Goebel, missing the playoffs by one match in the toughest division in Texas prep volleyball where four of the teams are ranked among the state's top 20. She is a three-year volleyball letterwinner, and was an all-district honorable mention as a junior. She was named the Southwest Tournament MVP as a senior and was also first team all-district. Liford served as the team captain her senior season. Also a two-year letterwinner in cross country and track, Liford qualified for the cross country regionals as a sophomore and participated in the triple jump and the 400-meter dash in track. Off the court, Liford was a member of Honors Band, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), the National Honor Society and is listed in the Who's Who Among American High School Students. She plans on majoring in education at Memphis after turning down scholarship offers from Troy State, Winthrop and West Point. A solid scholastic athlete, Liford was a member of the Academic All-District teams her junior and senior seasons. She was also an academic all-state honoree in cross country as a senior and all-district as a junior in cross country. "I choose the University of Memphis for several reasons," Liford said. "First is the academic excellence for which the University if known. Second is the great tradition in athletic endeavors, and finally, the professionalism and friendly atmosphere of not only the Tiger coaching staff, but by the university staff, students and local residents. I am extremely excited about becoming a Tiger, both on the court and in the classroom!" The daughter of Edwin and Joella Allen and Steve Liford, the 6-0 hitter has played in the Alamo Club Volleyball Program since her 14s days. Her U15 team twice went to the Salt Lake City Nationals, and her 17s team qualified for the U.S. Junior Olympics in Atlanta. Liford's dad, Steve, played basketball for Truman State University (formerly known as Northeast Missouri State). The Tigers earned a first-round bye via their fourth-place finish in the league standings at the end of the regular season. Memphis will face the winner of the No. 5 Tulane/No. 12 Saint Louis match at 6 p.m., Saturday. The winner of that match faces top seed Cincinnati, Sunday, at 7 p.m.

11/19/03		Rifle Squad Currently In 11th At The Walsh Event Hosted By Xavier (GoTigersGo.com)
		Cincinnati - After two weeks of competition, the Tigers Rifle team stands in 11th place at the 47th Annual Walsh Rifle Match hosted by Xavier University. Competition will complete this weekend as host Xavier leads the field with a score of 6216. Murray State is in second place with a score of 6192, while Memphis posted a score of 5953 last weekend. The Tigers shot a score of 4442 in the smallbore en route to their highest total score ever with a 5953. Freshman Katie Benjamin led Memphis in both smallbore and air with scores of 1148 and 386, respectively. She currently ranks 15th in the collegiate air division, and 20th in the collegiate smallbore division. Benjamin also had two perfect scores of 100 on two of her four prone targets. Sophomore Beth Tidmore boasted a score of 1123 in smallbore, and 379 in air to place second for the Tigers. J.B. Vaughan was third for Memphis with smallbore and air scores of 1102 and 371, respectively. Also squadded for Memphis was Bobby Leblanc who totaled a 1069 in smallbore, and Brian Phillips who shot 375 in the air division. The first two weeks of the Walsh event totaled more than 115 shooters in both smallbore and air, and featured 12 collegiate squads as well as 10 junior and one open squad.

11/19/03		Women's Soccer Earns NSCAA Team Academic Award (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - The University of Memphis women's soccer team was one of 336 intercollegiate soccer programs (71 men, 265 women) to post a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher, thereby earning the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2002-03 school year. The Lady Tigers had a 3.22 team GPA for the 2002-2003 academic year. "This is a great award because it shows our girls work just as hard in the classroom as they do on the playing field," Memphis head coach Brooks Monaghan said. "Academic achievements sometimes get overlooked, but this is a nice way to give our girls the recognition they deserve." The awards will be presented at the College Coaches Luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, as part of the 57th Annual NSCAA Convention, to be held in Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 14-18, 2004.

11/19/03		Tiger Golf Team Lands Three Signees For 2003 (GoTigersGo.com)
		University of Memphis golf coach Grant Robbins has wasted little time in starting to build his program by landing three blue chip recruits for the 2004-05 season. Included in the group of newcomers will be Memphian Ian Rochester as well as Canadian standouts Robbie Greenwell and Gavin Aldridge. Rochester, the number one player for Cordova High School, is a three-time Commercial Appeal Best of the Preps honoree. He is currently ranked as the number four player in the state of Tennessee by NJGA.com. (National Junior Golf Association). Rochester recently tied for fourth in the Tennessee State AAA Championship and placed in the top twenty in this year's Bubba Conlee National Junior. Greenwell, a native of Georgetown, Canada, is the top ranked junior player in Ontario for the class of 2004. He won the 2002 Ontario Junior Masters and was chosen to represent Canada on the CJGA National Team that competed in the 2003 Junior World Championship in San Diego, California. Greenwell finished fourth in this summer's AJGA Eastern Canadian Junior and made the cut and tied for 46th at the 2003 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. He won the TD Securities Junior Championship at the age of 16 by firing a final round score of 65. Aldridge, who is also from Georgetown, was selected to play on the Canadian Junior Ryder Cup Team that compete this past summer in Scotland. He was the overall champion of the 2003 CJGA Signature Series and won the 2003 CJGA Barrie Junior and the CJGA Orilla Junior. Aldridge carded a final round score of 67 at the 2003 Future Links Junior to finish in the top 20.

11/19/03		It's Drama Time -- Real Story Happening Off Court (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 19, 2003 The University of Memphis basketball team defeated Team Georgia on Tuesday night, 105-77, but the real drama for this basketball program was happening away from the court. When it comes to the world of recruiting and extending the contract of the basketball coach, things are getting stranger and stranger. Here’s what we know. Two of the Tigers key recruits, Darius Washington and Richard Dorsey, have told The Commercial Appeal they have signed and faxed their National Letters of Intent to the Tiger basketball office. Another recruit, Hamilton High star Shawne Williams, is all set to sign this morning at a ceremony at Hamilton. Sounds like cause for celebration, right? So what if the Tigers are being relegated to the "new" and improvised Conference USA, they have a monster recruiting class coming, anyway. But to hear Tiger coach John Calipari tell it, the Tigers are struggling mightily to close the deals. He said Tuesday night that none of the five Tiger commitments had delivered their signed papers. He said Monday the recruits were "fighting" them. Why? Calipari says it’s because negative recruiting is affecting his recruits, that rival coaches are using the "new" Conference USA against them. As to why a recruit would sign a Letter of Intent but then fail to deliver it, Calipari served up this explanation: ‘‘They are looking at me and making sure because, you know, they’ve been told, they’ve been drilled that I’m not coming back. Which I am. I’m ecstatic about it, I want to do this. We’re finishing up a contract and hopefully get that done and everything is fine.’’ Hmmmm. Do you hear what I hear? Is Calipari really saying that his recruits are waiting on him to sign a new deal? Is it being too cynical, too Oliver Stone, to believe that this recruiting class is being turned into a giant bargaining chip? Let’s hope that’s nothing more than a crazy conspiracy theory, because the last thing this athletic department needs right now is a difficult contract negotiation (or two, come to think of it, what with football coach Tommy West deserving a raise). It’s certainly not what the basketball team needs, on the cusp of a season filled with promise. No, what the athletic department and basketball team need is for today and the rest of the week to become a festival of good feeling. The best thing for the Tiger program is for the signed papers of all five recruits to — abracadabra — appear in the basketball office today. And for Calipari and athletic director R.C. Johnson to quickly reach an agreement on a contract extension, with a healthy buyout clause to protect the university and, for Calipari, language that commits the U|of|M to provide the resources needed to compete nationally. ‘‘It’s getting finalized,’’ Calipari said. ‘‘It’s also doing some stuff you guys will find out later that it’s going to make it pretty obvious that I’m not sitting here trying to run from here.’’ He added, ‘‘What it comes down to is this: Do they want to keep this as a national program?’’ The going theory is that Calipari won’t abide coaching in a league of Lilliputians, but that’s missing a central component of his makeup. He loves to compete. He loves to win. And he loves doing what people say can’t be done. The Massachusetts miracle still qualifies as Calipari’s greatest accomplishment, but now he has an opportunity to trump it. The challenge is in front of you, coach Cal. Sign that contract extension, dare them to include an extravagent buyout and tell the whole wide world that your Tigers will be in the Final Four before Louisville or Cincinnati. ‘‘I think everybody is committed to doing this,’’ Calipari said. ‘‘And we’re committed to our recruits.’’ Tiger fans hope to find out today if those recruits are indeed committed to the U of M. It’s up to Calipari and the university to get something done — and quick like — that assures fans that he’ll be around to coach them. Contact reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564; E-mail: zmcmillin@commercialappeal.com

11/19/03		Tigers Improve, But Big-Men Questions Still Are Out There (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 19, 2003 Almamy Thiero set a screen. Just stood in the lane and put his arms up and braced himself and freed Anthony Rice for a three-pointer that ripped the nets and sent the announced crowd of 4,500 at The Pyramid into a mini-frenzy. Though it was a mostly insignificant play in the University of Memphis's 105-77 victory over Team Georgia Tuesday night, it was the one that had John Calipari fist-pumping like Tiger Woods on the 18th green at Augusta National. Why? Because it was an example of a big man doing something he asked a big man to do, which has been a rare sight through 120 minutes of basketball with this team. Rodney Carney finished with 37 points and looked great in doing it. Sean Banks added 23. But the lingering thought from the Tigers' final tune-up before restarting the regular season against Fordham on Saturday is that Calipari might well go crazy waiting on one of his post players to become a force. Take Tuesday, for example, when the fourth-year coach played musical centers with Thiero, Duane Erwin and Modibo Diarra while berating each one after a missed block or lost rebound. The trio combined for 11 points and 11 rebounds in 46 minutes. Meanwhile, Team Georia's post players - Michael Maddox and Markel King - combined for 34 points and 17 rebounds in 62 minutes. Calipari's response to the post-presence was predictable. He just smiled a sarcastic grin. "What do you think of it," he asked a group of reporters after being questioned about the play of his big men. "You watched it. "We are what we are." Otherwise, the Tigers looked better than they did in Thursday's season-opening loss to Wake Forest, mainly because Antonio Burks looked better than he did and finished with 13 points and 15 assists. Yes, there were still a few instances where the senior point guard, as Calipari put it, "lost his mind," more specifically in a one-on-one battle with DeJaun Jackson that featured plenty of trash-talking. But mostly, Burks ran the Tigers with confidence and was solid defensively, made evident by his five steals in 37 minutes. "Antonio had 15 assists," Calipari said while also noting that he took 10 fewer shots than he did against Wake Forest. "He ran the club a little bit better." Which ultimately helped Carney have the night he had and his second huge exhibition. His 37 points came on a 15-of-24 shooting effort and indicated that the sophomore from Indianapolis is developing into one of the premier scorers in Conference USA. "I know I can do this on a consistent basis now," Carney said. "If I can just pick my spots and run the floor, Burks will find me. If I can do that, I'll have a good game." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/19/03		Tigers Postgame (Team Georgia) (Commercial Appeal)
		Play of the game The slam was insignificant to the outcome. But it's always fun to watch Rodney Carney jump over another human being and dunk. That's exactly what happened with 16:50 left and the Tigers cruising. Freshman Sean Banks ran the break, then gave the ball up to Carney who caught it and leaped over a Team Georgia victim for a one-handed jam that gave Memphis a 67-43 lead. Stat of the game Led by Antonio Burks's 15, the Tigers finished with 30 assists. That's 19 more than they had in the loss to Wake Forest. Trends After shooting 41.4 percent from the free throw line vs. Wake Forest, the Tigers had a 55.6 percent effort against Team Georgia. It's a trend of missing free throws that Memphis must correct. X's and O's No longer do the Tiger big men have to block out on an attempted shot. Now they just have to try to get the ball, which their coach hopes rules out the possibility of any excuses for not grabbing a rebound. ''See, when they block out, that's their excuse for not getting the ball,'' John Calipari explained. ''They block out, then the ball comes right to them and they don't get it. So don't block out. If the shot goes up, go after the ball.'' Odds and ends Forget Carmen Sandiego. Where in the world is Derrick Chew? A Raleigh-Egypt graduate, Chew become a walk-on just before the season-opener and even traveled to New York with the Tigers and played against Wake Forest. But Chew was missing Tuesday night, and Calipari had no explanation. ''I don't know where he is,'' Calipari said. Jeremy Hunt did not dress for the game but probably will Saturday. The sophomore guard has been cleared to play following preseason foot surgery. What's next The Tigers host Fordham Saturday at The Pyramid in what will be the Rams season opener. Fordham, led by 6-5 senior guard Mark Jarrell-Wright, won both its exhibition games. - By Gary Parrish

11/19/03		Calipari Says He Still Doesn't Have Letters From 2 Recruits (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 19, 2003 Does the University of Memphis have a great recruiting class? Or do things remain very much up in the air? Those are the questions still lingering as the final day of the early signing period comes. And the answers are, well, that depends on who you believe. Darius Washington told The Commercial Appeal on Saturday afternoon that he signed a national letter of intent with the Tigers and faxed it to the school earlier that morning. Also, Jay Couch, who coaches Richard Dorsey at Laurinburg (N.C.) Prep, told The Commercial Appeal that Dorsey has signed with Memphis and faxed his letter of intent to the U of M. But after a 105-77 victory over Team Georgia Tuesday night, U of M coach John Calipari said he still has no letters of intent from anybody. Told Washington and Dorsey's coach have said otherwise - and that Washington's mother reiterated the point Tuesday morning, even expressing concern that maybe she should fax it again if there was a problem - Calipari stuck by his statement. ''That's not true,'' he said. ''They can say what they're saying. The thing at this point, letters have been signed. They just haven't been sent.'' Asked why two prospects would hold their letters of intent, Calipari answered, "They are looking at me and making sure, because, you know, they've been told, they've been drilled, that I'm not coming back. We're finishing up a contract. And hopefully get that done and everything is fine." Calipari is in the process of negotiating a three-year extension that would tie him to the U of M through 2010. He said recruits are waiting to see if that gets done, but insisted he doesn't think the contract will determine whether the prospects end up at Memphis. ''I don't think so,'' Calipari said. ''I don't think so.'' Either way, Hamilton High star Shawne Williams scheduled a press conference for 10 this morning so that he can sign with Memphis and presumably become the third player to do so, not including Booker T. Washington point guard Andre Allen, who has said he will walk on next year.

11/19/03		Butler Steps Up For Tigers As Supersub (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 19, 2003 It was late in the second quarter of last weekend's Conference USA football game at Louisville, and the University of Memphis was building momentum toward an eventual 37-7 victory. A touchdown run by DeAngelo Williams, a 52-yard interception return by Eric Taylor and a 22-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal had given the Tigers a 17-7 lead. The U of M sideline was energized. Then came a play that momentarily disrupted the mood. On a first-and-25 play from midfield, Tiger left guard Andrew Handy got tangled up in a pile on a short run by Williams and remained on the artificial turf at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Handy, the team's most experienced offensive lineman, had broken his ankle. At that moment, U of M reserve guard Blake Butler glanced down the sideline at offensive line coach Rick Mallory, who shot Butler a "get-ready" look. "I didn't know how serious (Handy's) injury was at first," Butler said. "Then I got out there and I saw he was in a lot of pain. I knew then there was a real good chance I'd be playing the rest of the game." When the Tigers (7-3 overall, 4-2 in C-USA) host Cincinnati (5-5, 2-4) Saturday, Butler, son of former Tiger standout linebacker Keith Butler, will move into Handy's spot. Butler and the Tiger staff are expecting a smooth transition from super-sub to starter, even though Cincinnati will bring one of the league's top defensive units. Although Butler (6-3, 280) will be making his first start, he is no stranger to the U of M offensive line. He has played 45 or more snaps in five of the team's last six games, alternating at each of the guard positions. "My week preparing won't be that much different," Butler said. "I took a lot of reps when I was a backup because I had to be prepared for both guards. So it's nothing new to me. I've been preparing hard all year." Handy, in his second year as a starter, played every snap of the Ole Miss and Southern Miss games earlier this season. Butler played a season-high 55 snaps last weekend at Louisville in place of Handy. "We are not going to miss a beat," Williams said. "Blake stepped right in Saturday and did the job. It was like Handy was still in there." Mallory said Butler "is a good, solid football player." "Let's just say this," Mallory said. "I'm not losing any sleep (over the move)." To take Butler's place as a reserve, the Tigers moved defensive lineman Kenyun Glover over to offense Tuesday. Butler said he frequently speaks with his father, an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Keith Butler was a starting linebacker on the 1976 Tiger team, which was the last one until this season to win at least seven games. "I think he enjoys seeing his old university do well," Blake Butler said. "He hasn't been able to make it to any games, although he watched the Ole Miss game on television. He said there's a chance he could make it to a bowl game." Keith was a defensive assistant coach for the Tigers under Chuck Stobart in the early 1990s when Blake was attending grade school in Memphis. The program was successful - three straight six-win seasons - but Blake said this team's success seems to have struck a different chord with the community. "There seems to be more excitement around this team," he said. "I think the city and the fans have caught on to the fact that there's something special about this team." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/19/03		Tigers-Cincinnati Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		Another win over Louisville: Winners on the scoreboard, winners at the gate. The University of Memphis grabbed the Conference USA attendance lead over Louisville last weekend when the Cardinals drew a season-low 30,114 to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for the Tigers-Cards game. Louisville's average dipped to 37,472, allowing Memphis, averaging 38,719 through five games, to nudge ahead. With Memphis officials expecting a crowd that could reach 45,000 for Saturday's C-USA home game against Cincinnati, the Tigers could pad their lead. Louisville remains at home to play Houston. In third place is league co-leader TCU, ranked 10th nationally. TCU (10-0 overall, 7-0 in C-USA) is attracting 36,155 per game. Southern Miss (7-3, 6-0) shares the C-USA lead with the Horned Frogs and is averaging 28,340. Big East-bound South Florida is averaging 30,571. Cincinnati, also headed for the Big East, is averaging 23,794. Williams nears milestone: Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams needs 22 yards Saturday against Cincinnati to become the fifth player in school history to gain 2,000 or more career rushing yards. Williams, who has amassed a school-record 1,294 yards this season, would join Dave Casinelli (2,636), Gerard Arnold (2,378), Paul 'Skeeter' Gowen (2,227) and Larry Porter (2,194). Williams set another single-season school mark last weekend. His 27 carries gave him a record 220 for the season. Super sub: When Cincinnati starting running back Richard Hall was limited against Rhode Island last weekend because of injury, sophomore Carl Jones did more than replace Hall. He may have taken his job. Jones, who got the first start of his career, rushed 27 times for 187 yards, the most yards gained by a Bearcat since Robert Cooper rushed for 204 against Memphis in 1999. Jones was a reserve defensive back last year, but convinced the Bearcats coaches to give him an opportunity at running back, where he excelled in high school. - By Phil Stukenborg

11/18/03		Tiger Basketball Closes Out Exhibition Season With 105-77 Route Of Team Georgia (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis, Tenn. - University of Memphis sophomore Rodney Carney had is second excellent shooting performance of the exhibition season as he scored 37 points in a 105-77 victory over Team Georgia at The Pyramid Tuesday. Carney hit 15-of-24 field goals as the Tigers shot 54.3 percent from the field. Point guard Antonio Burks had his second double-double of the exhibition season as he scored 13 points to go with his game-high 15 assists. Burks went three-for-four behind the arc. The Tigers used a pair of 15-4 runs in the final 8:40 of the first half to take 57-34 lead at the break. Freshman Sean Banks scored the last seven points of the half for Memphis as he chipped in 23 points for the game. Memphis hit seven three-pointers in each half and shot 46.7 percent from behind the arc in the contest. Junior guard Anthony Rice had five three-pointers en route to a double-double as he finished with 19 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Team Georgia cut the Memphis lead to 82-63 at the 8:10 mark of the second half, but that would be as close as the visitors would come. Carney scored the next nine Tiger points and Rice hit a pair of three?s down the stretch as the U of M concluded its exhibition season with a 2-0 record. Rice helped the Tigers outrebound Team Georgia 40-37. Michael Maddox had a double-double for Team Georgia finishing with 19 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Daryl Cooper added 18 points as each team had four players in double figures. The Tigers will play Fordham Saturday in the their home-opener at The Pyramid with tipoff set for 7 p.m.

11/18/03		FROM MY SEAT -- "DANNY'S OUR GUY!" (Memphis Flyer)
		FRANK MURTAUGH "DANNY'S OUR GUY!" It was late summer, 2000, when I wandered into my colleague Dennis Freeland’s office to talk a little sports. The Redbirds and Cardinals were both headed for the postseason and I was interested in Dennis’ viewpoint on their respective chances. His mind was elsewhere, though. “What,” Dennis wondered, “is Rip Scherer thinking, Frank? He’s got this quarterback who just might save his job, but instead, he’s saving him for his replacement!” Be it baseball season or the holiday season, Dennis’ thoughts never strayed far from University of Memphis football. He was the most passionate authority on Tiger football these parts have seen in some time, and on this afternoon more than three years ago, he had a bone to pick. “Memphis finally lands a blue-chip quarterback,” he continued, “and our coach is so timid with him that he’s gonna redshirt the guy. This kid is a winner, won every game he played in high school. What is Scherer waiting for?” Actually, Dennis, Danny Wimprine was only 53-2 at J.T. Curtis High School in New Orleans. But those two blemishes aside, you were (as usual) right on the mark. Those 2000 Tigers were coming off a 5-6 season (Scherer’s fifth straight losing campaign), one in which they averaged all of 158 yards passing per game. The quarterback position was turning into a battle between a talented but raw “athlete” (Travis Anglin) and a big, strong, but equally raw “pocket passer” (Neil Suber). As the fates would have it, injuries to the two primary candidates left the job in the undersized hands of the coach’s son, Scott Scherer. Scott had the heart of a lion . . . but nowhere near the physical standards for a Division I-A college quarterback. My friend Dennis wanted Wimprine behind center, and now! Dennis was diagnosed with brain cancer during the summer of 2001. He fought and fought his deadly invader through the 2001 football season, doing all he could to stay in tune with developments in Tiger Nation. Sure enough, Coach Scherer had lost his job (Memphis having gone 4-7 as Wimprine redshirted). Tommy West took over the program and had no problem handing the Tiger offense to his Louisiana stud. The Tigers averaged 190 yards passing that year -- a 40-yard improvement on 2000 -- and only a heart-breaking loss to Cincinnati in the season finale kept Memphis from a bowl berth. Less than two months after season’s end, Dennis lost his battle. Cutting to the present, my old friend’s impatience for Danny Wimprine seems all the more poignant. The 22-year-old junior has just about demolished every passing record in the Tiger book. In terms of yardage, Wimprine has exceeded the number-two passer in Memphis history (Danny Sparkman) by more than 2,000 yards. His 56 touchdown passes are almost double the number of his closest follower (Steve Matthews with 31). All he did Saturday in the biggest Tiger football win over Louisville -- ever -- was rush for a touchdown, throw a touchdown pass, and catch a pass for a two-point conversion. Think we should keep him? A telling moment in the growing Wimprine legend came after the Tigers’ 38-16 win over Arkansas State September 27th. West was asked if he considered removing Wimprine after the quarterback threw an interception deep in ASU territory, the Tigers trailing by 10 points at the time. “That’s the worst time in the world to go to the other guy,” proclaimed West. “If we were battling for who’s gonna be our quarterback, then yeah, that’s the time. But Danny’s our guy and that’s the time you gotta give him the chance to go back in and correct it. And he did go in and move our team.” The irony of all this is that, were Dennis here today, he’d be applauding that redshirt year Scherer imposed on Wimprine in 2000. I can hear his thoughts loud and clear: “As great as Danny is now, we’ll have him as a 23-year-old senior in 2004, a luxury this program has never enjoyed. Sky’s the limit!”

11/18/03		Memphis In Seventh Heaven (Daily Helmsman)
		By Ben Cowens November 18, 2003 Generations of Memphis players and fans have questioned when their Tigers would get back to a bowl game. Now the only question left to answer is "Where?" With bowl aspirations on the line, the Tigers went on the road Saturday and clobbered Louisville 37-7, in front of a crowd of 30,114. The victory removed any reasonable doubt about the possibility of postseason play. "We've got seven (wins) now, and we are going to a bowl," said head coach Tommy West. "I don't think there is any way anybody could turn this football team away. It's just too good a team." Going into the game, the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 in Conference USA) had never beaten Louisville (7-3, 3-3) during West's tenure as head coach, let alone in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. They played well but lost in Memphis to the Cardinals last year. Last week, Louisville was a couple of missed field goals away from beating TCU, a top 10 school. "Louisville has been the team in the conference, the four years that I've been here, that you had to measure (your team) by," West said. "To come on the road and beat them the way we beat them is really special." For Louisville, the game started with promise. Running back Lionel Gates scored on a 12-yard scamper, set up directly by a blocked punt, to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. But after another fruitless possession from Memphis, the Tiger's defense came up big. Senior defensive tackle Eric Taylor intercepted Stefan Lefors's tipped pass and returned it 52 yards for the tying touchdown. "I asked Taylor (after the touchdown) if he was tired," said running back DeAngelo Williams, "He was like, 'Yeah, I can't breathe,' and I said, 'Well, you're living the life of a running back now.'" On the return, Taylor made a Williams-type move as the 295-pound lineman stutter-stepped past LeFors before diving in for the momentum-shifting score. "(Taylor) looked pretty good to be honest," West said. "Their quarterback came over to chop him, and he cut back into the inside and got it into the end zone." The interception return marked the third time in the last four games the defense returned an interception. The play also seemed to ignite the Tiger's offense. "Every time they score (on defense), it puts a lot of pressure on the offense," Williams said. Williams didn't play as if he felt too pressured though. The sophomore back ran for 154 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. It was William's ninth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance. The Doak Walker Award candidate also caught three passes for 25 yards. Following the interception, the Memphis defense came up with another stop. The offense followed with a touchdown producing drive at the end of the quarter. Williams burst for 17 yards to make it 14-7. The play gave Williams his tenth rushing touchdown of the season. That was all the offense the Tigers would need, though they received plenty more. Quarterback Danny Wimprine had another solid performance. The junior was 17 of 29 for 201 yards passing and a touchdown. It was also the fourth straight game Wimprine did not throw an interception. "(Wimprine) has really played well in this four-game stretch," West said. "He's throwing the ball away when it's not there. He's just really doing smart things." Williams added 154 yards on 27 carries and improved upon his national lead in all-purpose yards. Defensively, the Tigers harassed LeFors and the fifth-ranked Louisville offense all day. The Cardinals had averaged 486 yards per game but were held to just 216 total yards and 12 first downs. The Tigers also collected three sacks and an interception. "Coming in, we knew they were the No. 5 offense in the nation," Taylor said. "Coach (Joe Lee) Dunn said if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. I believe that we did it." Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said his team's inability to run the ball consistently led to the demise of the Cardinals passing attack. "Defensively, they put a lot of pressure on us," Petrino said. "They took away a lot of our run and play action game and made us sit in the pocket and make plays. We were just unable to do it. That's something that hasn't happened to this offense in a long time. "Give them credit. They were the better team tonight. There's no doubt about it." West said his defense was creating nightmares for Louisville the whole game. "They had no chance," he said. "I would have hated to have been in their shoes calling plays in the first half. We had them backed up the whole time. We played well, but the field position was the difference in the game." In the third quarter, Wimprine accounted for 14 points. A quarterback sneak, combined with his two-point conversion reception put Memphis up 28-7. After a safety by the Memphis defense, Wimprine connected on a 19-yard play with receiver Darron White to round off the scoring. The victory gave the Tigers a seven-win season for the first time since 1976 and virtually assured a bowl appearance. "This means a lot for this entire program, especially the coaches and the seniors who are here and have been through the tough times," Wimprine said. "Everybody is very, very excited and can't wait to get back on the field next week." Wimprine said that with the way Memphis is playing now, anything short of a win every game would be a disappointment. "We want to try to win out," Wimprine said. "Hopefully, Cincinnati will be the next victim."

11/18/03		It's Not Over 'Til ... I'll Have To Get Back With You On That One (Daily Helmsman)
		By Daniel Ford November 18, 2003 It was over. Just like last year and the year before. Just like the 31 years before. Despite another strong start, the other shoe had dropped and Memphis would now, no doubt sink into a cesspool of losses and dashed hopes. But after the devastating loss to Mississippi State that dropped the Tigers to 3-3, Tommy West was putting on the spin to top all spins. "We can win out," West said. The statement seemed ill-advised, overly-positive coach-speak that almost everyone brushed off without a thought. Win out? Who are you kidding? You just got beat by a horrible Mississippi State team one week after getting blasted by UAB on homecoming. Tommy West had just made the most thick-headed statement to date. Memphis 45, Houston 14. Memphis 41, Tulane 9. Memphis 41, East Carolina 24. Memphis 37, Louisville 7. Did I mention that West is a genius? This team is playing better than any team in Conference USA right now. They have demolished opponents by an average of 27.5 points. Danny Wimprine hasn't thrown an interception in four games. DeAngelo Williams is freight train. Behind what was at first considered an unproven line, Williams has exploded for games of 120, 195, 135 and 157 yards rushing. That's an average of over 150 yards per game to go along with his six touchdowns and 6.3 yards per carry average over the same span. As if that wasn't enough Memphis received 4 votes in the Coaches poll released Monday. Four! That's one more than the total number of wins Memphis posted last year. The most important win this season may have come Saturday against Louisville. A loss would have made many fans doubt just how far the Tigers had come in there previous three wins. And a blowout 37-7 win at Louisville was the last thing anyone expected, especially after the Cardinals scored the first touchdown of the game with such ease. Who would've thought Memphis was about to score 37 unanswered points? Who would've thought the Memphis defense would hold C-USA's top rushing offense to a total of 57 yards? Who would've thought the Tigers would be 7-3 and bowl bound after the Starkville fiasco? Maybe the last thing anyone is expecting should be the first. Memphis will go to a bowl game this year, their first since 1971, and anyone who calls their self a Memphis fan should see this team against Cincinnati and South Florida and again in Fort Worth, or Mobile or New Orleans or wherever they end up in December. Whether you are a bandwagon fan or long-time sufferer. Who would've ever thought there'd be a Memphis bandwagon for football? The bandwagon may be a 1971 Chevy Nova, but it did get a recent tune-up.

11/18/03		Memphis, UT Still In Negotiations Over Series (Daily Helmsman)
		By Daniel Ford November 18, 2003 The University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee will continue to negotiate the fate of the football series between the schools. Shirley Raines, president of The U of M, and Joe Johnson, president of UT, released a joint statement Monday saying that both agree contract negotiations should continue between the athletic directors of both schools. The series, which had been scheduled between the two programs for 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010, was thought to be all but scrapped due to Memphis' refusal to play the Vols in basketball. But, likely due to a groundswell of support to maintain the games, Memphis' Athletic Director, R.C. Johnson, and UT's Athletic Director Mike Hamilton were told to work towards a resolution that did not involve discontinuing the series. "Mike and I both pretty well know who we answer to," Johnson said. "Our charge is to get it worked out. I talked to (Mike Hamilton) twice today and we'll continue to have discussions." Johnson said a decision should come sooner rather than later, but the new emphasis on a resolution does not mean anything for sure yet. "There is nothing that has been decided at this point, he said. "We will talk and try to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible. I don't want to give you a time or a date, because I know you'll hold me accountable to that date, but it certainly will be sooner rather than later, we all want to get this done."

11/18/03		Team Georgia Could Be Last Of Tigers' Costly Talent Hunts (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 18, 2003 Tonight's basketball game with Team Georgia will be the final exhibition game of the season for the University of Memphis. It could be the last time the Tigers play an exhibition game against a team of touring former collegians. If a Big Ten proposal is adopted by the NCAA next spring, Division 1 teams will no longer be allowed to play foreign touring teams and club teams that are more and more extensions of summer basketball programs. So no more Team Georgias and no more Universal All Stars, the two teams - and we use that term loosely - that have faced the Tigers in exhibition games in all four seasons of the John Calipari era. And no more Victorian All-Stars or VASDA Gold, for Tiger fans with longer memories. If the proposal passes, teams could still schedule exhibitions against teams from Division 2, Division 3 and NAIA. "Good," says Tiger coach John Calipari. "I'm all right with that." The reasons why have nothing to do with competition and everything to do with the ever-messy world of college recruiting. "The cost to play noncollegiate teams is prohibitive and has become intertwined with the recruiting process," is how it is explained in the proposal. That's because these touring squads are merely extensions of the summer basketball programs that provide the recruits for college programs big and small. And college teams all over the country are writing bigger and bigger checks for exhibition games against them. Take tonight's Tiger exhibition game. Team Georgia is an extension of a summer youth program in the Atlanta area headed by Linzy Davis and Al Outlaw. Among players who came up through Team Georgia's programs are U of M junior Anthony Rice and sophomore Almamy Thierro. Robert Dozier, one of the players the Tigers committed (but still have not signed), is also a Team Georgia alum. When Outlaw and Team Georgia leave The Pyramid tonight they'll take with them a check for $25,000. In the last four years the U of M has paid Team Georgia $84,000 for four exhibition games. As CBS Sportsline.com columnist Gregg Doyel pointed out recently, the practice is nationwide. Connecticut played an exhibition game against the Beltway Ballers, which just so happens to be the summer program that produced Rudy Gay, who so happens to be a bigtime recruit headed to UConn. Tennessee is playing an exhibition game against one of the E.A. Sports teams associated with Double Pump Basketball out of Southern California. And guess who came up through the Double Pump system? Tennessee point guard C. J. Watson, that's who. Examples abound, but you get the picture. As the proposal puts it: "Many institutions are forced to schedule noncollegiate teams at a high cost in order to have access to prospective student-athletes associated with that team or commercial sponsors during the recruiting process." Davis maintains Team Georgia is not in it for the money, no matter what anyone may think. "The important thing is getting these players exposure," Davis says. Nobody is accusing schools of out-and-out cheating. That's not what's going on here. Youth basketball programs and the colleges that must pander to them in recruiting have found a loophole and it is being exploited. That the coaches allowing it to perpetuate are the same guys who just last month attended an Ethics Summit shows you yet another reason why such a meeting was needed. By the way, no one is pretending these exhibition arrangements necessarily determine where a particular recruit will go. For instance, Mohamed Tangara is one of the best players to ever come out of Davis's program. The Tigers really wanted him, but he ended up committing with Arizona, a team not on Team Georgia's schedule. Calipari said he is not worried about how the arrangement with Team Georgia appears, anyway. "We know we haven't done anything wrong," Calipari said. "I sleep sound at night." Still, Calipari insists he'd rather see money for these exhibition games go to places like Christian Brothers University and LeMoyne-Owen, the city's two local Division 2 schools. The Tigers played CBU in 2000 and 2001, but Calipari scheduled those as regular-season contests, thereby allowing the Tigers to play - and pay - Team Georgia and Universal. "I'd rather give the money to a school like CBU," Calipari says. If the NCAA acts and closes the loophole, coaches will have no choice. Contact staff reporter Zack McMillin at 529-2564

11/18/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Commercial Appeal)
		Remember role: In the loss to Wake Forest, Antonio Burks led the Tigers with 18 shots. Not surprisingly, Calipari was less than pleased, calling his point guard's play "awful." So tonight, it's important that Burks gets back to a pass-first, shoot-second state of mind. He's better that way. Memphis is better that way. Make free throws: In theory, free throws should be the easiest points scored in any game. But for the Tigers, that's not the case, made evident by their 12-of-29 performance from the line against Wake Forest. Memphis can shoot them with one hand. Or underhanded. Or blindfolded. It doesn't matter. But the Tigers have to start making free throws or continue to pay the price in close games. Take good shots: After the loss to Wake Forest just before Calipari entered the media room, several reporters from across the nation mentioned how Memphis looked like the most undisciplined team in the country while jacking up quick shots from everywhere. The criticism was probably a little harsh considering the Tigers were scrambling late to get back into the game. But there is some merit to it, and even Calipari said as much afterward. Just because the U of M is a good shooting team doesn't mean it's good enough to take bad shots. With 35 seconds to kill, Memphis would be wise to be more patient if a quick basket in transition doesn't present itself. - By Gary Parrish

11/18/03		Tigers vs. Team Georgia (Commercial Appeal)
		Radio: WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. When, where: Today, 7 p.m. at The Pyramid. Records: Memphis 0-1; Team Georgia 0-2. Notables: Officially the Tigers still have no national letters of intent, though Darius Washington of Orlando told The Commercial Appeal on Saturday that he has signed with Memphis, which would leave four open slots. The U of M had those slots filled with public commitments from Shawne Williams, Robert Dozier, Kareem Cooper and Richard Dorsey. But now Williams is considering going to Kansas while Dozier, Cooper and Dorsey are unaccounted for. On Monday, John Calipari acknowledged the class might not be what it could've been primarily because other schools are telling prospects the U of M's future is bleak and Calipari-free. "Most of the kids will be fine, but if one or two of them want to wait I'm OK with that," he said. "But we've got a few days to absolutely tell them, 'Hey, I'm not going anywhere.' But we are fighting it because there are people in their ears telling them that I'm full of it and that I am going to leave. But I don't want to leave, and that's what I'm telling them." . . . Freshman Ivan Lopez, who is suspended for Saturday's game against Fordham, is eligible tonight but probably still won't play because of a nagging hamstring injury. He practiced only briefly Monday. . . . Sophomore Jeremy Hunt was cleared to begin practicing Monday on a limited basis and worked out with the team in short stints. Still, Calipari said the former Craigmont High standout probably won't play tonight or Saturday. . . . Team Georgia has played two games this preseason, losing to Miami, 93-67, and Chattanooga, 107-74. . . . Arthur Barclay has begun practicing with the Tigers and looked good through a few workouts. He could be eligible next month. PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis PYr.Ht.Pts. Antonio Burks GSr.6-013 Anthony Rice GJr.6-413 Rodney Carney FSo.6-719 Sean Banks FFr.6-810 Duane Erwin CJr.6-95 Team Georgia PHt.Pts. Darryl Cooper G6-310.5 Demond McCullough G6-518 Larry Knox F6-65 Michael Maddox F6-819 Markel King C6-92.5

11/18/03		Banks Emerging As Board Man For U of M (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 18, 2003 Sean Banks is not a rebounder. He's long. He's athletic. But he's not a rebounder. Never has been. Which is what made the box score from Thursday night's University of Memphis loss to Wake Forest interesting. There under the category marked rebounding was Banks's 14, easily a game-high and possibly a sign of what's to come. "I'm like rebound-first now," said Banks, a consensus Top 25 national recruit who is a freshman at the U of M. "In high school, scouts used to criticize me for not rebounding. But now I've learned that you just have to want to rebound. That's all it is." Heading into tonight's final exhibition against Team Georgia, the Tigers still have many areas of concern. But one that coach John Calipari may already be able to scratch off his proverbial list is whether Banks can rebound well enough to play power forward at this level. That was answered against Wake Forest when the 6-8 New York native routinely soared above bigger frontcourt Demon Deacons to rip missed shots out of the air. Banks finished with twice as many rebounds as any other Tiger in the 85-76 loss. His four offensive boards were also a team-high. "Coach has told me that I may have to be the leading rebounder on this team," Banks said. "And that's a role I told him I would accept." Which is both good and bad. The good? If Banks leads the Tigers in rebounding, he's a lock for Conference USA's All-Freshman team. The bad? If Banks leads the Tigers in rebounding, it means big men Duane Erwin, Modibo Diarra, Almamy Thiero and Ivan Lopez didn't have the type of years any of them wanted. "Sean's the only guy on our team who rebounded the ball in traffic against Wake Forest," Calipari said in what may have been meant as both a compliment to Banks and criticism of the U of M centers. Erwin, Diarra and Thiero combined for just nine rebounds in 46 minutes in the opener. "Sean was good," Calipari added. "And we want to try to get him in the post some, but right now he doesn't have the kind of post presence we need." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/18/03		Hamilton Star '90% Certain' He'll Sign As A Tiger This Week (Commercial Appeal)
		By Jim Masilak Contact November 18, 2003 Hamilton star Shawne Williams told The Commercial Appeal late Monday he is "90 percent certain" he will sign with the University of Memphis on Wednesday. Williams, a 6-9 senior forward regarded as one of the nation's top 20 basketball players, had earlier backed out of a July commitment to the U of M, saying he wanted to take some visits. Now, after wavering most of the past two weeks, it appears Williams is ready to put an end to his recruitment. "I believe I'm going to sign with Memphis on Wednesday," he said. "We've been talking to some (other schools), but my heart is here. . . . I'm 90 percent certain I'll sign with Memphis." Williams said he has been in contact with Kansas, Cincinnati, Houston and Tennessee since saying he "probably wouldn't sign" during the early signing period, which ends Wednesday. "I was interested in all of them. They wanted me to take visits, but I just don't want to," he said. "This'll get a lot of stuff off me." Williams said some schools were engaging in negative recruiting against the U of M. "I've heard a lot of stuff. They were like, 'You never know. (Tigers coach John Calipari) might be coaching the Grizzlies next season.' " Williams's stated goal is to be in the NBA within two years, and the small forward believes he can start at the U of M as a freshman. "I guess I'd be willing to stay two years, but I'm on the one-year plan," he said. Officially, the Tigers still have no national letters of intent, although guard Darius Washington of Orlando told The Commercial Appeal on Saturday that he has signed with Memphis, which would leave four open slots. The U of M had commitments from Robert Dozier, Richard Dorsey and Kareem Cooper, but they remain unaccounted for. On Monday, Calipari said the class might not be what it could've been mainly because other schools are telling prospects the U of M's future is bleak. "We are fighting it because there are people in their ears telling them that I'm full of it and that I am going to leave. But I don't want to leave, and that's what I'm telling them." - Gary Parrish contributed to this report.

11/18/03		Tigers Lose Avery To Injury (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 18, 2003 University of Memphis receiver Maurice Avery, who has emerged as one of Tiger quarterback Danny Wimprine's favorite targets, will miss the final two games of the season - including Saturday's home game against Cincinnati - and possibly the team's bowl appearance. Avery, a sophomore from Atlanta, tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee while running a reverse in the second half of Saturday's 37-7 Conference USA victory over Louisville. An MRI Monday confirmed what team doctors had feared: The injury will sideline Avery for three to four weeks. Two likely bowl opportunities for the Tigers - the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and the New Orleans Bowl - will be played roughly four weeks from today. "Maurice has been a big-play receiver for us all year," Wimprine said. "We put in plays to get him the ball downfield or to get him the ball quick. He was someone who got a lot of yards after the catch." Avery, 6-1 and 210 pounds, had prospered this season after making the switch from quarterback, becoming a consistent big-play threat for one of the nation's top offenses. Avery ranks among the top receivers in C-USA in receptions per game (4.6) and yards per game (72.8) and leads the Tigers with 46 catches for 728 yards and eight touchdowns. "If we have to play without Maurice, that's a big blow to us," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "He has given us a toughness at that position that we really needed, a guy that would not only block, but get you four, five or six extra yards on toughness." It's a toughness that Avery displayed Monday shortly after undergoing the MRI. Upon arriving back on campus, he talked about trying to play the final games of the season through whatever pain he would encounter. But the Tigers will not have Avery in the lineup again this season unless the U of M is invited to the Hawaii Bowl, the Fort Worth Bowl or the AXA Liberty Bowl, three C-USA affiliated postseason games held on or after Dec. 23. In Saturday's game, Avery was held to one catch, but it went for 55 yards and set up a second-quarter Stephen Gostkowksi field goal. Considered one of the team's prime playmakers, Avery has turned in a big play in practically all of the Tigers' 10 games. He had a 51-yard touchdown catch against East Carolina. He scored twice the week before at Tulane. He also scored twice at Houston, including once on a 55-yard TD reception. He had 45-yard catches in losses to UAB and Mississippi State and a key 31-yard TD grab shortly before the half in a win over Ole Miss. "He is a big-play guy who gives you that rare (combination) of size, strength and speed," said receivers coach Clay Helton. "He's one of about five or six guys that we think can make huge plays for us. "In that slot position (he played) we get matched up a lot on linebackers and safeties, and he's a good enough route runner, and so powerful out of the cut, that he wins a lot of those matchups. And if there's a jump ball, he's going to out-physical most everybody he goes up against. He has unbelievable ball skills. You rarely see him drop a ball." His versatility came into play, too. On several occasions this season, the Tigers inserted Avery at quarterback, giving them an additional running threat. Avery has 95 yards on 22 carries. To replace Avery, the Tigers will look to Darron White and Chris Kelley. White is second to Avery in receiving yards (32 catches, 442 yards) and fourth on the team in rushing (106 yards, three touchdowns). "I've got a lot of confidence in Darron White," West said. "I think Darron can step in. He's had a great year. "Chris Kelley has to step in and be a productive player for us." Kelley has six catches in seven games, including three last weekend against Louisville. "Scheme-wise we'll have to come up with a couple of new wrinkles to keep people off balance," West said. "And you know me, I'm confident we can do that." - Phil Stu kenborg: 529-2543

11/18/03		Tigers-Cincinnati Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: The Pyramid. Radio: WMC-AM (790), pregame 5:30 p.m. Tigers-Vols (Week 2): Tiger coach Tommy West checked in again on the U of M's nonconference scheduling, which has become a hot topic with the possible discontinuation of the Tennessee-Memphis series. The Tigers have five football games remaining on a contract that has them playing the Vols in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. Reports surfaced last week that the Vols and Tigers were in negotiations to end the series. Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson said Monday his and Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton's "charge is to get (the matter) worked out." Johnson said he spoke twice with Hamilton Monday. "I don't want to give you a time and a day (when the matter will be resolved), but I also will tell you that it will be sooner than later." West said Monday he doesn't mind playing Tennessee, his alma mater, or any SEC school on the nonconference portion of the U of M schedule. But, he said, there are limitations. "If I only get three games out of the league, I think we should play only one SEC game, and I don't care who it is," West said. "It could be Tennessee or Florida or Georgia or Ole Miss . . . whoever. "Personally, I think it's unfair to our staff and our team to play two (SEC opponents during an 11-game season). I don't think there's another team in the country that does that." West said he doesn't mind having two nonconference opponents from SEC schools during years in which the Tigers have four nonleague games. "But in the end we all have bosses," West said. "Whatever they decide, it's my job to go play 'em and try to win 'em." Did Tigers spy?: Louisville coach Bobby Petrino told members of the Louisville media Monday during his weekly press conference that an unidentified Memphis coach had been spying on the Cardinal staff during Saturday's 37-7 Tiger win with binoculars. Was a Memphis assistant, whose photo appeared on a Louisville fans' Web site Monday, stealing signals? "Whether they got an advantage doing it, I couldn't tell you," Petrino said. "It didn't look like it on video. It just looked like they were better than us, and they beat us." Petrino said he has been on teams that have used binoculars from the sidelines. Petrino said it's not an unusual practice, a sentiment echoed by West. The U of M coach said he saw the photo on the Web site. "We're trying to see what their personnel groupings are," West said. "There's nothing unethical about that. And you've got to know people are looking at your personnel every game." Position change: When the Tigers resume practice today, they'll have a new offensive lineman. Defensive lineman Kenyun Glover, who started the season opener against Tennessee Tech at noseguard, will switch sides of the ball. The move was necessitated by the season-ending injury to starting guard Andrew Handy. Handy broke his ankle in the Louisville game and will undergo surgery today. Glover is a former Overton High standout who has made 14 starts for the Tigers during his career. - By Phil Stukenborg

11/18/03		Tigers' Williams Gets C-USA Honor (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 18, 2003 University of Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams, who rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' 37-7 Conference USA victory over Louisville, was named the C-USA offensive player of the week Monday. It was the second time this season Williams had been honored and the fourth time a Tiger had been named the league's offensive player of the week. Tiger quarterback Danny Wimprine also has won the award twice. Williams's efforts helped the Tigers beat Louisville in Louisville for the first time since 1983. They also contributed to the Tigers winning seven games in a season for the first time since 1976. The 154-yard effort marked the ninth consecutive game in which Williams, a sophomore from Wynne, Ark., had eclipsed the 100-yard mark. "I took it personal," Williams said of his performance at Louisville. "When they put me out of (last year's game at Memphis), a guy stood over me and, well, he said some things. Since then I said I was going to be consistent." Williams's nine straight 100-yard games are a C-USA record. He leads the league with 13 touchdowns and 1,294 rushing yards. "DeAngelo can run with speed, with power, he sees things, he catches the ball, he blocks on pass protection, he just made an academic All-America team," said Tiger coach Tommy West. "I've never had one like this." Williams's contributions this season have the Tigers on the brink of their first postseason trip since 1971. "We are trying to start a new tradition here," Williams said. "We're 7-3, hopefully we'll get to 8-3, then 9-3, go to a bowl game and be 10-3." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/17/03		Memphis Basketball Game Notes (GoTigersGo.com)
		GAMEDAY INFORMATION MATCH-UP - Team Georgia (0-2 on tour) vs. Memphis (0-1); Exhibition #2 TIPOFF - 7:00 pm (CT), Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 SITE - The Pyramid (20,004), Memphis, Tenn. RADIO INFORMATION - WMC-AM 790 will broadcast the game with Dave Woloshin (play-by-play) and Matt Dillon (analyst) calling the action. The radio broadcast can also be heard on the World Wide Web at the U of M athletics site, www.goTIGERSgo.com. TELEVISION - None THE SERIES - None WHAT'S NEXT - Memphis returns to action Saturday, Nov. 22 when it hosts Fordham at The Pyramid. Game time for the Tigers-Rams encounter is 7:00 p.m. (CT). TIGER TIPOFF The University of Memphis returns to exhibition action Tuesday, Nov. 18 when it hosts Team Georgia. Game time for the Tigers' second exhibition game is 7:00 p.m. (CT). The U of M defeated the Universal All-Stars in its first exhibition game Nov. 4 by a 116-70 score. Sophomore Rodney Carney led the Tigers with 38 points, while senior Antonio Burks dished out 17 assists. In between the two exhibitions, the Tigers played No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest in the 2003 Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Memphis fell 85-76 to the Demon Deacons. Rodney Carney led five Tigers in double figures with 19 points. Freshman Sean Banks posted a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds. Senior Antonio Burks added 13 points and nine assists. MEMPHIS CLOSES EXHIBITION PLAY TUESDAY The University of Memphis basketball squad wraps up exhibition play Tuesday, Nov. 18 when it plays Team Georgia at The Pyramid. Game time is 7:00 p.m. (CT). The Tigers won their first exhibition Nov. 4 with a 116-70 victory over the Universal All-Stars. The U of M dropped its regular-season opener 85-76 to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic in New York City on Nov. 13. Team Georgia lost its first two exhibition games on its tour. Team Georgia dropped decisions at Miami (Fla.) 93-67 on Nov. 12 and at Tennessee-Chattanooga 107-74 on Nov. 15. DON'T FRET TIGER FANS Sure, Memphis dropped its regular-season opener to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic on Nov. 13. But, a setback in the regular-season opener has not been a bad omen for the Tigers, especially looking back at the last 30 years. Since the 1973-74 campaign, the Tigers have lost their season opener nine times (prior to this year), but went on to earn a postseason berth on seven of those occasions. The following chart shows that: Year Season Opener Postseason 2003-04 lost to No. 20/No. 21 Wake Forest 85-76 TBD 2000-01 lost to Temple 67-62 NIT Final Four/3rd place 99-2000 lost to Georgetown 71-55 None 1996-97 lost to Wisconsin 49-46 NIT First Round 1992-93 lost to Arkansas 81-76 NCAA First Round 1991-92 lost to No. 20 DePaul NCAA Elite Eight 1990-91 lost to Boston College NIT Second Round 1981-82 lost to East Tennessee State 67-62 NCAA Sweet Sixteen 1980-81 lost to Southern Illinois 69-67 None 1975-76 lost to No. 8 Louisville 79-74 NCAA First Round TIGERS PICKED FOURTH IN C-USA Memphis was picked to finish fourth in Conference USA in a preseason vote by the league's coaches. The Tigers, which won the National Division title the previous two seasons, were selected fourth behind Conference USA favorite Louisville, Cincinnati and Marquette. This season, C-USA is going to a 14-team division format, and each team will play 16 league games. From the 1997-98 campaign through the 2002-03 season, C-USA played a two-division format. With the new set-up, each school will play each other once for a total of 13 games. The other three games were added to the schedule based on geography, rivalries and television. Memphis' three additional contests are against Louisville, Southern Miss and TCU. GOING FOR ANOTHER 20-WIN SEASON The Tigers opened their 2003-04 campaign Nov. 13, and despite the lost to Wake Forest, they are looking for their fourth-straight 20-win season. If successful, it would be the first time Memphis has had four-consecutive years of 20 or more wins since 1985-86 through 1988-89. The U of M had back-to-back 20-win years during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons as well as 1994-95 and 1995-96. Last year, Memphis posted its 20th win of the year with a 67-48 win over Cincinnati in early March, giving the Tigers their third-straight 20-win season. Right out of the gates, Memphis posted a 22-8 record in its first season of intercollegiate basketball during the 1920-21 season and has now tallied 25, 20-win seasons. Under head coach John Calipari, Memphis has averaged 24 wins a year in his first three seasons at the helm. TIGER TIDBITS Antonio Burks handed out nine assists versus Wake Forest Nov. 13, giving him 331 for his career. He is still in ninth place on the Memphis career assists chart. ... Memphis lost for only the second time when Burks has seven or more assists in a game when the Tigers fell to Wake Forest. Memphis is now 17-2 when Burks dishes out seven or more assists in a game. ... Coach Calipari stressed the Tigers would need to hit the boards versus Wake Forest, and they did, out-rebounding the Demon Deacons 49-47.

11/17/03		Men's Soccer Places Three On C-USA Second And Third Teams (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn.-- - The University of Memphis had a trio of players to receive recognition from the league as sophomores Andy Metcalf and Dayton O'Brien were named All-C-USA Second Team performers, while senior captain Graham Gibbs earned Third Team All-conference honors. Metcalf earns his second postseason award after a breakout sophomore season in which he led the Tigers in nearly every offensive category. The Jackson, Tenn. native paced Memphis with a team-high 24 points, 10 goals and four game-winning scores. He also compiled multi-goal performances on three occasions and earned Conference USA Player of the Week during the season. O'Brien garners All-conference honors for the second consecutive year. The sophomore earned All-freshman recognition a year ago and followed that with a solid second season. O'Brien scored 23 points on nine goals and a team-high five assists. He led all Tigers with nine points and four goals in conference competition, including a two-goal performance against Marquette and the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win over UAB. Gibbs earned Third-team honors for his solid play in the Memphis defense. The Dublin Ireland native bolstered the Tiger defense that recorded a pair of shutouts on the year. He started in 14 matches, including seven of eight conference games. Cincinnati head coach Hylton Dayes was tabbed as the Coach of the Year after guiding the Bearcats, who were picked to finish third in the league, to a 6-2-1 C-USA record to earn a share of the regular season title with Saint Louis. Cincinnati, Saint Louis, Louisville, Charlotte, UAB and USF battled it out last week in the C-USA tournament hosted by The University of Memphis at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex. Saint Louis came away as the league's champs for the fourth consecutive year, defeating Charlotte 5-4 in penalty kicks after playing to a 2-2 tie in regulation. 2003 C-USA Men's Soccer Awards Player of the Year Simon Bird, Sr., F, Louisville Coach of the Year Hylton Dayes, Cincinnati Co-Defensive of the Year Adrian Cann, Jr., D, Louisville Tony McManus, Sr., D, UAB Freshman of the Year Vedad Ibisevic, Fr., F, Saint Louis First Team All-Conference F: Simon Bird, Sr., Louisville F: Chris Lee, Jr., Marquette F: Vedad Ibisevic, Fr., Saint Louis MF: Tim Brown, Sr., Cincinnati MF: Josh Gardner, Jr., Cincinnati MF: Leandro de Oliveira, So., UAB MF: Marin Pusek, Sr., UAB D: Adrian Cann, Jr., Louisville D: Nick Gannon, Sr., Saint Louis D: Tony McManus, Sr., UAB GK: Brad Sokolowski, So., Louisville Second-Team All-Conference USA F: Will John, Fr., Saint Louis F: Andy Metcalf, So., Memphis F: Mira Mupier, Jr., Charlotte MF: John DiRaimondo, Fr., Saint Louis MF: Brian Grazier, Fr., Saint Louis MF: Floyd Franks, So., Charlotte MF: Dayton O'Brien, So., Memphis D: Brandon Dobbs, Sr., Cincinnati D: Anders Cedergren, Sr., Cincinnati D: Andy Pusateri, Sr., MF, Saint Louis GK: Martin Hutton, Jr., Saint Louis Third-Team All-Conference USA F: Jerson Monteiro, Fr., UAB F: Hunter West, So., USF s F: Derek Gutierrez, Sr., Marquette MF: Clyde Simms, Sr., East Carolina MF: Keeron Benito, Fr., USF MF: Cooper McKee, So., Saint Louis MF: Nnamdi Ngwe, Sr., UAB D: Graham Gibbs, Sr., Memphis D: Joe Lampert, Sr., Charlotte D: Matt Neely, So., Louisville GK: John Adams, Sr., Cincinnati All-Freshman (No position restriction) Vedad Ibisevic, Saint Louis John DiRaimondo, Saint Louis Will John, Saint Louis Brian Grazier, Saint Louis Marco Terminesi, Louisville Sam Miller, Cincinnati Chris Arnold, Charlotte Jerson Monteiro, UAB Keeron Benito, USF Nathan Sabich, Marquette Kareem Smith, USF

11/17/03		THE DOMINO'S THEORY (Memphis Flyer)
		LOUISVILLE -- Coming out of the locker room, a smiling Derrick Ballard had two. So did Greg Harper. Will Hyden was happy with just one. Clearly, the senior core of the formidable U of M defense was feeling fine. It was their day of vindication, after all. As they filed out of the locker room underneath the stands at Papa John's Stadiun after Saturday's historic victory, nearly all the U of M players were carrying the same thing: extra-large boxes of Papa John's pizza, for consumption on the buses taking them to the airport for the flight home to Memphis. The symbolism was more than a little appropriate. For on this gray wintry afternoon in Louisville, in the stadium that Papa John’s built, the Memphis football Tigers well and truly ate the Cardinals' lunch. The U of M began what Coach Tommy West has called "the Big East part of our schedule" in stunning fashion, with a resounding 37-7 victory, marking the first time the Tigers have won in Louisville in two decades, along with the first time they'd won four in a row since 1994. Those of us who have been in the trenches since the Lloyd Patterson era -- his 1976 team were the last Tigers to win seven games -- have a real sense now of going where no men have gone before. Indeed, the delirious thousand or two U of M fans who’d made the journey north -- by midway through the fourth quarter, they outnumbered the Louisville faithful still remaining in the stadium -- were strangely quiet, all things considered. At first I thought it odd; then I figured it out: The day's remarkable events had truly rendered us all speechless. At least Bobby Petrino was in the same boat. At his post-game press conference, the Louisville head coach looked like he’d been hit by a truck. "I knew this game would be a challenge," Coach Petrino candidly told reporters after the game, "but I never thought it'd be like this." Welcome to the club, Coach. If you'd told me it would have been “like this,” I would have bought you a year's supply of Papa John’s. Around the world’s, even. What a month for the ages for Tiger football fans this last one has been! Four victories, three of them on the road, all of them routs. Over that period, Danny Wimprine hasn't thrown a single interception, while establishing his credentials as one of the nation's premier quarterbacks. And D'Angelo Williams? Well, the 179 all-purpose yards he racked up Saturday should insure his continued reign as the national leader in all-purpose yardage. By game's end, even the usually crusty Louisville media was using hushed tones when speaking his name. “How’d he ever end up in Memphis?” I overhead one dejected Cardinal scribbler telling another. But this game, of all the victories this season, belonged to the defense. The Cardinals were averaging 34 points a game until today, when Memphis held them to a touchdown, and even that was the product of a blocked punt. In fact, Louisville scored first; U of M defensive end Eric Taylor came back four minutes later with a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown to level the score. The rest, as they say, is history. Thirty unanswered Tiger points. Remarkably, the Cardinals never set again got past midfield until the final minute of the third quarter. Speaking of history, those of us lucky enough to be at Papa John's today witnessed, I feel certain, the best thirty defensive minutes in Tiger football history. I wasn’t around in the Sixties or early Seventies, but somebody let me know if a U of M defensive unit ever performed better in a game’s midsection. The defense’s second and third quarter stats were and are mind-boggling. Playing against C-USA's number-one offense, remember, the U of M defense held Louisville to -- ready? -- 67 total offensive yards. And a negative 4 yards rushing. This was defensive co-ordinator Joe Lee Dunne’s finest half-hour, maybe in his entire distinguished career. Tiger tackles were crisp, the pass coverage was suffocational, and the Cardinal offense looked totally lost, when it looked at all. In fact, given how well the Tigers played on both sides of the ball, the AD's office could do worse than use that entire half hour as the 2003 season’s highlight film. Why spend money on film editing? Now the challenge will be, as Coach Tommy West said after the game, for this very special Tiger team to ignore its press clippings. When asked if he regretted not having top-ranked TCU on this year's C-USA schedule, West grimaced and said, "We're a good team, yes, but someone will come and plonk us if we get arrogant." These Tigers have many reasons to feel cocky, but history, as they say, is a great teacher. Coach West should have daily readings this week at practice from the U of M media guide, just to keep the guys honest. He can cite chapter and verse from The Book of Tiger Tribulation, explaining how we've down so long we think it's up. But things sure do look different from this perspective. A reading from the Book of Tiger Tribulation, Chapter 32, Verse 10: “Question: When was the last time the U of M won four consecutive games by 17 or more points? “Answer: Never.” Oops. That’s actually the truth. These 2003 Tigers have done something never achieved by any team in the program’s ninety-year history. Maybe they are that little bit special, after all. Sorry, Coach. I was just trying to be helpful. Honest. Just make ‘em do a few extra laps this week, and I think they’ll be fine. Kenneth Neill is the publisher/CEO of Contemporary Media, Inc., the parent company of The Memphis Flyer.

11/17/03		Memphis Got Game In The Last Five Years (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade November 17, 2003 Five years ago this month I moved to Memphis and started writing sports for The Commercial Appeal. As facts go, that one's pretty irrelevant. Unless we stop to consider all that has happened from then until now. Five years ago, AutoZone Park was a hole in the ground surrounded by a chain-link fence and lingering pessimism. A Stubby Clapp back flip wasn't even a twinkle in Kristi Jernigan's eye. Five years ago, Tic Price was coaching the University of Memphis basketball team and was en route to a 13-15 season, when not making cell phone calls or otherwise, well, occupied. Back then, Rip Scherer was still walking the sideline for the football Tigers. Five years ago last Friday, in fact, the Tigers lost at Southern Miss, 45-3, on the way to a 2-9 finish and the fourth of six losing Scherer seasons. Five years ago, the nearest NBA team played in Atlanta and the nearest pro sports team in town still playing in November skated at the Mid-South Coliseum. Five years ago, there was actually a better chance of becoming an East Coast Hockey League town than there was of snatching an NBA team out of Canada. This was so long ago that - deep breath now - Michael Heisley did not yet own the Grizzlies; Bryant 'Big Country' Reeves was still considered to have his whole future in front of him; Michael Dick erson was a rookie with the Houston Rockets; Shane Battier was a sophomore at Duke; and Pau Gasol was a member of the Barcelona Junior team that won the 1998 Albert Schweitzer Tournament. Yes, five years is a long, long time. A brighter day Memphis is on the way up. That's what they told me in the job interview, along with the odd but true story that whenever snow was in the forecast, cans of soup would start flying off grocery store shelves. But I digress. Fact is, I looked at the Memphis sportscape and struggled to see hope on the horizon. Tic Price seemed more of a salesman than a basketball coach. Rip Scherer seemed to represent the university's do-nothing decision to punt the football program without, you know, telling anyone. "When's the last time the Tigers went to a bowl game?" I asked someone, prepared to hear it had been 10, maybe even 15 years. "The Pasadena Bowl in 1971," someone said. Wow. Nuclear winter right here in River City. But the ballpark, assuming it got built, was going to be beautiful. It was going to be the symbol of change. That's what I held onto, same as the rest of Memphis. And so as AZP opened in the spring of 2000, so did all sports possibilities for this city. In John Calipari, the big-name coach chose Memphis. And last year, the NCAA Tournament chose Memphis. The expectation is they'll return to the Big Dance this season. Tommy West now presides over a 7-3 bowl-eligible Tiger football team. Wow. The Grizzlies arrived. And then, inexplicably, Jerry West arrived. Double-wow. Now the FedExForum is rising into the sky. No, the Redbirds don't win like they did in 2000, but the ballpark is still the most pleasant place in town and next spring there are two dates with the St. Louis Cardinals. The Memphis RiverKings now have won back-to-back championships, and it's no longer such a shock when the Grizzlies win back-to-back. Result of last home game: Memphis 108, Dallas Mavericks 101. Five years ago, who could have imagined typing that sentence? Not me, which is why five years after the fact I'm happy to say it's true: Memphis is on the rise. Gee, where did the time go? Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358

11/17/03		Upon Further Review: Anarchists, Unite! (Commercial Appeal)
		Now that Louisville is out of the way, University of Memphis fans can begin preparing for the season's next big game. It's on Thursday night, in Hattiesburg, Miss. What's that you say, the Tigers have already played Southern Miss and lost this year? Correct, but Southern Miss is hosting TCU this Thursday, and a win by the Horned Frogs would greatly help the Tigers in their quest for a bid to the hometown Liberty Bowl. That's because TCU, ranked sixth in last week's BCS standings (the new ones are released today), could open up a spot for the Tigers if things work out right. And can you imagine the New Year's Eve party in town if the Tigers are playing Utah (the likely representative of the Mountain West) in the Liberty Bowl? Of course, the Tigers need to continue playing such marvelous football and win their final two games, both at home, against Cincinnati and South Florida. That and root for TCU to beat Southern Miss and claim the C-USA title. Even if TCU wins its final two games (the Horned Frogs play SMU in the regular-season finale), there's no guarantee the Horned Frogs will stay among the top six in the BCS and thus earn an at-large BCS spot. They probably need help in that regard. Any or all of the following would be beneficial: Ohio State giving Michigan its third loss of the season, Washington giving Washington State its third loss of the season, Ole Miss and/or Arkansas beating LSU, and someone beating Georgia. According to Liberty Bowl executive director Steve Ehrhart, the BCS would also have to work out an acceptable arrangement (i.e., show them the money) in order for the Bowl to allow the Conference USA champion out of its contractual agreement. Should all that happen, Memphis could take TCU's spot, even if Southern Miss has a better record in C-USA and the win over the Tigers earlier in the season. That's because the contract only calls for the Liberty Bowl to take the conference champion; there is no stipulation for second place if the conference champ does make the BCS. And would Ehrhart and company like to see Memphis stay at home for its bowl? You bet your bottom (and top) dollar. It's not hard to see a crowd of 50,000-plus - or maybe even a sellout - if the Tigers are going for their 10th win of the season. "We'd sure love to have 'em in the bowl game," Ehrhart said Sunday. "If there is a modification, that would be one alternative. It would be exciting for a lot of different reasons." Ehrhart did float one other possibility, should the BCS want TCU. He suggested the Liberty Bowl would be willing to take, say, the seventh- or eighth-ranked BCS team in exchange for the Horned Frogs. Though it's hard to imagine the BCS conferences allowing that to happen, it's worth noting that last week, Tennessee was ranked seventh in the BCS and Michigan eighth. Ehrhart said he's remaining patient, however. This is the third time in the last five seasons that a team from either C-USA or the Mountain West has threatened the BCS hierarchy. Tulane could not crack into the top six in 1998 and BYU lost its regular-season finale in 2001. "We'll see what happens," Ehrhart said. Defenders of the BCS still have a chance to end the season by crowing, "See, it always works out." But those who are driven mad by the way Division 1 college football chooses its champion see lots of delicious scenarios playing out. It would require USC to lose to either UCLA (always possible in a rivalry game) or Oregon State (less likely but just barely plausible), LSU to fall to Ole Miss or Arkansas and Ohio State to lose to Michigan. That'd leave everyone but Oklahoma and TCU with two losses. True anarchy would require TCU to loss at Southern Miss, thus creating a meaningless Sugar Bowl. Game balls Dunn, Danny and DeAngelo: During Memphis's four-game winning streak, the trio has been outstanding. Defensive coordinator Joe Lee Dunn's confusing array of blitzes and schemes were at their disruptive best at Louisville. The Tigers defense limited Louisville's offense, one averaging 36 points and 485 yards at home, to seven points and 216 yards. In eight possessions after Tigers defensive lineman Eric Taylor returned an interception 52 yards for a TD, the defense held the Cardinals to 38 yards. Quarterback Danny Wimprine had his fourth straight game without an interception. He was 17-of-29 at Louisville, making him 63-of-115 during the streak with 10 touchdowns. And what more can be said about running back DeAngelo Williams, emerging not only as the conference's best back as a sophomore, but as one of the nation's elite backs. He rushed for 154 yards, his ninth straight 100-yard game, and finished with 179 all-purpose yards. Eric Taylor: Tigers defensive end Eric Taylor deserves a game ball for displaying an athleticism that few knew the 283-pound senior possessed. Taylor sparked the Tigers with his 42-yard first-quarter interception return for a touchdown. He took a deflected pass near midfield and raced to the end zone for the first of 37 unanswered U of M points, eventually crossing the goal line with a nifty cutback near the 10-yard line. "His runback was historical," Williams said. "He made a great cutback at the end and I said, 'You looked good, where'd you learn that?' He said, 'I learned that from you.' " Commodores: The Commodores beat Kentucky, 28-17, to end the 23-game SEC losing streak, and the score did not do them justice - Kentucky scored in the final minute. Vanderbilt QB Jay Cutler threw four TDs and ran for 129 yards against the Wildcats. Vol offense: Finally, Tennessee exploded on offense, but it must be noted this was a Mississippi State team that seems to have quit. And that is reason enough to quote Pat Forde of the Louisville Courier-Journal, who wrote the following after watching Joe Lee Dunn's Memphis defense wallop the Cardinals: "The fact that (Sherrill) backed off Dunn last year, firing him with a form letter, was nuts. The fact that Sherrill replaced him with (former Louisville coach) Ron Cooper ranks as one of the worst personnel moves in sports history." Gassers Keith Toogood and Ben Jones: The field goal kickers for Texas Tech and Purdue, respectively, cost their teams huge victories on Saturday. Toogood missed two extra points and a 48-yard field goal in Tech's heartbreaking 43-40 loss to Texas to keep the Longhorns alive for an at-large BCS bid. Jones shanked a 29-yard field-goal attempt in regulation and missed a 36-yarder in overtime as yet another Big Ten team let Ohio State off the hook, surrendering a 16-13 OT victory to the Buckeyes, who could make a pretty strong argument they deserve to defend their national title by beating Michigan to go to 11-1. Commonwealth football: It was a bad day for football fans in Kentucky, with Memphis's 37-7 drubbing of Louisville and Vanderbilt's 28-17 beating of Kentucky. The good news is that basketball season starts this week. AP voters: It's usually the coaches' poll that has some completely nonsensical ranking, but this week it was the writers who screwed up. Somehow, Louisville got seven votes, or seven more than Memphis, which beat the Cards by 30 points on Saturday. - By Zack McMillin

11/16/03		Volleyball To Open C-USA Championship Play Saturday At 6 p.m. (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team received a first-round bye and will play the winner of the No. 5 seed Tulane vs. No. 12 seed Saint Louis match in the quarterfinals of the C-USA Championships, at 6 p.m., Saturday. The tournament schedule will open Friday, with No. 7 UAB facing No. 10 TCU at 1 p.m., followed by No. 6 Marquette playing No. 11 DePaul at 3 p.m. The host Green Wave will then host Saint Louis at 6 p.m., and the evening will wrap with an 8 p.m. contest between No. 8 Houston and No. 9 USF. The Saturday quarterfinal day will open with No. 2 seed Louisville facing the UAB/TCU winner at 1 p.m., before No. 3 Southern Miss plays either Marquette or DePaul at 3 p.m. The Tigers will open their C-USA schedule against either Tulane or Saint Louis at 6 p.m., and No. 1 seed Cincinnati will play in the 8 p.m. match against either Houston or USF, a team that just upset the Bearcats 3-1, Saturday. The Conference USA Volleyball Championships will be held at Fogelman Arena in New Orleans. The winner of the league championship receives the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Memphis received its' first-ever first-round bye with a 3-1 win over Tulane, Saturday. Memphis is 1-1 against Tulane in the C-USA Championships and is 0-2 against Saint Louis in tournament play.

11/16/03		Men's Tennis Wraps Fall Schedule At Baton Rouge Tournament (GoTigersGo.com)
		BATON ROUGE, La. - The University of Memphis men's tennis team wrapped up its fall schedule at the Red Iron Hardcourt Championships, a USTA Tournament, over the weekend. Senior Lee Taylor Walker (Jackson, Tenn./University School of Jackson) advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Brandon Nicholson and a 6-0, 6-0 blanking of Brian Gibson. Walker fell to top seeded Pedro Braga, a professional player from Brazil who turned pro in 1994, 6-3, 7-5. Since the tournament was an open tournament, the Tigers faced competition from both the collegiate and professional ranks. Braga advanced to the finals where he faces Tulane's Michael Kogan, the Green Wave's No. 1 singles player. Three other Tigers traveled to the open tournament as well. Martin Tamla's first round opponent did not show up, so his first match of the tournament was a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Tres Davis, the No. 3 seed. Also falling after his first round opponent did not show was sophomore Alex Jago. Jago fell to No. 7 seed Victor Romero from Mississippi State. Romero captured the ITA Southeast Singles title in Memphis earlier this fall at the ITA Southeast Regionals. Romero advanced to the semifinals, where he faced Kogan from Tulane. He trailed Kogan 7-5 before withdrawing due to injury. Freshman James Spence rounded out the Tiger contingent at the tournament. Spence also faced Romero, falling 6-3, 7-6 (8), in the Round of 32. On the consolation side after his first-round loss, Spence blanked Beau Stallings, 6-0, 6-0, then downed Tom Wride, 6-1, 6-4. Spence's run came to an end in the consolation quarterfinals, where he fell to Michael Ray Pallares, 6-3, 7-6 (2). Walker had also moved over to the consolation side of the draw, defeating No. 5 seed Ryan Sanders, 6-1, 6-2, to advance to the consolation semifinals. The Sunday results of that match have not yet been posted. Men's Tennis Results Round of 32 Lee Taylor Walker (UM) def. Brandon Nicholson, 6-4, 6-3 Martin Tamla (UM) def. Taylor Compton, default Alex Jago (UM) def. Beau Stallings, default No. 7 Victor Romero (Mississippi State) def. James Spence (UM), 6-3, 7-6 (8) Round of 16 Walker (UM) def. Gibson, 6-0, 6-0 No. 3 Tres Davis def. Tamla (UM), 6-3, 6-3 Romero def. Jago (UM), 6-4, 6-0 Quarterfinals No. 1 Pedro Braga def. Walker (UM), 6-3, 7-5 Consolation Side Quarterfinal Qualifiers Jago (UM) def. Brandon Nicholson, default Tamla (UM) def. Jan Macek, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 Spence (UM) def. Tom Wride, 6-1, 6-4 Quarterfinals Zachary Taylor def. Jago (UM), 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 Walker (UM) def. No. 5 Ryan Sanders, 6-1, 6-2 No. 2 Alex Hartman def. Tamla, 6-4, 6-3 Michael Ray Pallares def. Spence (UM), 6-3, 7-6 (2) Semis No. 6 Johan Burnstrom vs. Lee Taylor Walker (UM), results not yet posted

11/16/03		Tigers Reel In Player; Others Still Unsigned (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 16, 2003 Relax, University of Memphis fans. Finally, the Tigers have a national letter of intent, and it came from Darius Washington. "I signed last night and faxed it over," the combo guard from Orlando said Saturday afternoon. A consensus Top 25 recruit, Washington is one of five players who verbally committed to Memphis early. Even so, the first two days of the national signing period came and went without anyone sending the proper paperwork, which led to U of M coach John Calipari hinting after a loss to Wake Forest Thursday that some of the prospects may have been tampered with, as other schools used the Tigers' shaky conference status against them. "But the conference stuff doesn't matter to me," Washington said, "because the coaching staff and the style of play is still going to be the same." As for the remaining four commitments, it breaks down like this: Hamilton High standout Shawne Williams, a 6-9 wing, has decided to explore his options and is now garnering serious interest from Kansas. Richard Dorsey and Kareem Cooper - two post players from North Carolina - are unaccounted for, and attempts by The Commercial Appeal to reach both have been unsuccessful. Robert Dozier, a 6-8 wing from Georgia, is also unaccounted for, but his AAU coach said Saturday that he has no doubt the blossoming Top 100 prospect will sign with Memphis. "My understanding is that he's going to sign with Memphis. There's no reason for him not to. I mean nobody else is even recruiting him right now. So I'm sure he will sign with Memphis," Georgia Elite coach Linzy Davis said. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/16/03		Lady Tigers To Unveil Four-Guard Offense (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 16, 2003 For someone who has grown accustomed to change and adaptation through the years, Joye Lee-McNelis seems a bit apprehensive about this move. This one strikes closer to her home, right at the heart of her offensive philosophy. But when the University of Memphis opens its 13th season under Lee-McNelis Friday against Maryland-Eastern Shore at the Elma Roane Field House, it will be with a new look precipitated by the departure of a Lee-McNelis staple: a proven low-post presence. Lee-McNelis will unveil a four-guard set. Since Lee-McNelis became the University of Memphis women's basketball coach 12 years ago, the school has changed names (from Memphis State to the U of M), changed conferences (from the Great Midwest to Conference USA), changed athletic directors (from Charles Cavagnaro to R.C. Johnson) and changed presidents (from Lane Rawlins to Shirley Raines). What has remained constant for Lee-McNelis has been a scoring threat in the paint, from Keeta Matthews in the early 1990s to Tamika Whitmore in the late 1990s to Shannon Hamp the past few years. Each is a member of the school's 1,000-point club, and each gave Lee-McNelis a level of comfort. This season, Lee-McNelis will attempt to take advantage of the team's strength at guard, hoping an infusion of shooters - led by freshmen Ashley Dixon and Devin Necaise - will allow the Lady Tigers to overcome their lack of depth in the post. "It's been real difficult for me not to have a post player on the block I can always go to," Lee-McNelis said. "We've always had a Whitmore or a (LaTonya) Johnson or a Matthews or a Hamp. We've always had a post player to go to in crunch time." This team, Lee-McNelis said, will rely on guards who can score off the dribble. The Lady Tigers, coming off back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 1992-93, return senior Princess Swilley, a guard who averaged 10.2 points during a season marred by shoulder problems. If she remains healthy, she'll be a scoring threat. Senior Jordie Soso is a post player who prefers facing the basket and could flourish in this offense. She and junior guard Jennifer Sullivan have been among the most impressive operating the motion offense. "Jordie has practiced harder the past few weeks than she has at any time in her life," Lee-McNelis said. "She has been our leading scorer in practices. As for Princess, she's been steady, but my concern with her is sometimes she disappears. She has got to focus. I know she feels a responsibility to step up and lead this team." Lee-McNelis said a number of Conference USA teams have opted for four-guard sets recently, citing the lack of a dominant post player. She said DePaul ran the offense last year, and Tulane and Southern Miss are installing it this season. If the Lady Tigers can become adept with their perimeter game, Lee-McNelis expects the zone defenses that worked so effectively against them last season to diminish. "I know it may be unfamiliar in Lady Tiger basketball history, but it fits our personnel best," said Brooks Donald, a first-year assistant who coached previously at UALR. "We ran the motion offense at UALR, but I don't think we had the personnel there that we have here. You have to have smart players who can read defenses. The motion offense we ran at UALR had more structure." What Donald likes about the offense is that it will give a power forward the opportunity to "step out and shoot the three." "Jordie can do that," Donald said. "This offense has been good for her in practice. She is a little undersized in the paint. She was used to big 'ol girls guarding her inside. Now they'll have to step out to guard her on the perimeter." Much of the offense is patterned after the motion offense Duke's men used to win the NCAA title in 2001. "It was Shane Battier's last year," said Lady Tiger assistant Tom Cross. "It was the year Duke basically played with five guards." Cross came from the WNBA, where the Detroit Shock ran a similar offense. For the offense to be successful, Cross said, the guards must "be aggressive taking the ball to the basket." "It's all predicated on the dribble drive," Cross said. "Hopefully what we'll see is more free-throw attempts because we'll be so much more aggressive to the basket. I really think it's been fun to watch our kids pick it up. It gives them a lot of freedom. Hopefully it will all translate into some wins." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/16/03		GONE, AND FORGOTTEN -- Calipari, Tigers Unconcerned About What Might Have Been (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 16, 2003 A little research shows the odds of getting a royal flush in poker are 649,740 to one. Which is crazy when you consider John Calipari almost had one on the basketball court. Dajuan Wagner. Qyntel Woods. Amare Stoudemire. Kendrick Perkins. They could have all been at the University of Memphis. They could have all been on this team. And when you throw Antonio Burks in at the point, odds are he'd average something like 10 assists per game and the Tigers would be everybody's pick as preseason favorites to win the NCAA championship. ''They would certainly be ranked No. 1 in the country, even over UConn, which is loaded,'' said recruiting analyst Jeff Goodman. ''You're talking about four first-round draft picks, one of whom was Rookie of the Year. So there's no way that a team would be as talented as those guys.'' We should stop right here and point out that the odds of that team being on the same court at the same time are about the same as Calipari remaining seated throughout a game. It was never going to happen, even though Tiger fans can take some pleasure - and they do - in dreaming about what could've been. But when the U of M faithful wake up from that blue-and-gray nap, they see this team, not one with Wagner, Woods, Stoudemire and Perkins. Instead, there's Anthony Rice, Rodney Carney, Sean Banks and Billy Richmond. So Calipari will - sticking with the poker theme here - play the cards he's dealt and try to win without the best hand possible. ''We don't have a royal flush, but it might be a full house,'' said Tiger assistant Ed Schilling. ''Maybe even a straight flush. I don't know. I think we've still got some pretty good cards. ''We'll be in a lot of hands with these cards.'' To his credit, Calipari spends little time complaining that the Tigers only got one of a possible 16 combined seasons from that fantastic foursome. The coach doesn't think in those terms and would rather focus on the guys on this roster. So Calipari alternately chooses to gush about Rice and how steady he's become. And about how Carney has developed into a wonderful back-up plan for Woods. And about Banks and how every elite prospect should be as coachable. And about how Richmond has changed from the selfish sophomore he was a year ago. . . . In fact, the only time Calipari references any of the prospects who never played at Memphis is when pressed by a reporter. And even then, the coach rarely goes into the type of five-minute dialogue that he is well capable of on virtually any subject. ''I don't worry about it,'' Calipari said. ''I just like to know who I've got on my team, and then I like to go play the games.'' Sometimes it's right to go Calipari has made it clear time and again how he felt about each player's early jump to the NBA. For Wagner and Stoudemire, Calipari thought it was the correct move and advised both to make themselves eligible for the 2002 draft. Subsequently, the Cleveland Cavaliers took Wagner sixth overall, the Phoenix Suns selected Stoudemire three picks later and watched him turn into the rookie of the year. ''When you see where Dajuan got picked, he did the right thing,'' Calipari said. ''And when the Suns played the Grizzlies here last year, I went into the locker room to see Amare, gave him a hug and told him that he did the right thing, too. I said, 'What could I have done for you? I could've only messed you up.' '' But on the other hand, Calipari believes he could've helped Woods and Perkins develop and improve their draft status. The Portland Trail Blazers took Woods with the 21st overall pick of the 2002 draft; the Grizzlies selected Perkins with the 27th pick of the 2003 draft and immediately traded him to the Boston Celtics. Woods averaged just 2.4 points in 6.3 minutes per game as a rookie. Perkins started this season on the injured reserve list. The fact that neither were lottery selections, Calipari thinks, proves both would've been better off spending at least a year at the Division 1 level. ''But it was their decision, and I can live with that,'' he said. ''And maybe it'll end up where they made the right choice. You know Qyntel is starting to play some this season. So maybe it ends up as the right choice. We'll have to let it play out. But I will say this: If they made a bad decision, it was their decision.'' Absence noticeable No matter whose decision it was to leave Memphis or never come here at all, it's one that detracted from the U of M and is showing up every day as Calipari chastises his post players in practice and yearns for anybody who can grab a loose ball above the rim. Stoudemire or Perkins would be a godsend these days because if there is one glaring weakness with this team it's that Calipari has been unable to convince Duane Erwin or Modibo Diarra to rebound with reckless abandon. Meanwhile, Ivan Lopez and Almamy Thiero remain hampered by injuries and can't be depended on just yet. All of which means the Tigers will face a unique situation this season, one that hasn't been a problem for years thanks to a succession of Omar Sneed, Kelly Wise and Chris Massie. Can Memphis rebound well enough to fend off some of the bigger teams it will face like, say, Cincinnati? And if not, can the U of M still be successful? ''That frontcourt has got to step it up,'' is how former Tiger Jermaine Ousley put it after his Universal All-Stars lost to Memphis in an exhibition. ''The backcourt is great. Those guards are really good. But they have to get somebody down there to rebound.'' Which, of course, means somebody on this roster. Not somebody who once said they might play for the Tigers. Not somebody the U of M staff spent months recruiting only to be disappointed at the last minute. Whether that person emerges is crucial and yet to be determined. But it's safe to assume Calipari will keep plugging along just the same, shuffling and shuffling until he makes a winning hand out of the cards he wasn't expecting to hold. ''With the players he's lost from the program and the ones who never got to the program, I think Cal has handled it very well,'' said Marquette coach Tom Crean. ''He never makes excuses about it. He just goes out and does what he does with the guys that he has. ''He could sit around and think about what he could've had, but he doesn't do any of that. He just keeps getting better with what he does have, and he's going to be there at the end of the year every year with a chance to win. ''That's what Cal's all about,'' Crean concluded. ''And Memphis is lucky to have him.'' - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/16/03		Tigers Blow Out Cardinals -- U of M's Play Near Perfection (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 16, 2003 LOUISVILLE, Ky. - University of Memphis coach Tommy West refused to use Louisville's impending departure to the Big East as motivation before Saturday's Conference USA football game at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. And he wouldn't acknowledge the defection as a rallying point afterwards. But how else does one explain what transpired? How else does one fully comprehend the 37-7 Memphis victory? Perhaps it was the desire to clinch the program's first post-season bid in 32 years. Or maybe it was a passion to ensure the Tigers' first winning season since 1994. It could have been a need to snap an eight-game losing streak in Louisville, a mark of futility that dates to 1983. In the jubilant Tiger locker room afterward, it may have been a mixture of all of the above. The Tigers (7-3, 4-2 in C-USA) bathed in the euphoria of a rare victory over Louisville, racing into the locker room after celebrating with some of the several hundred Tiger fans who made the six-hour drive from Memphis. "I've been telling everybody we are a different team than we were last year," said Tiger running back DeAngelo Williams, who rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown. The win, Memphis's fourth straight, gave the Tigers their first seven-win season since 1976 and all but clinched a bowl bid for a program shunned by the Big East earlier this year when the BCS league extended invitations to Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida of C-USA. Memphis held C-USA's top-rated offense to 216 yards - less than half its average of 482 per game - and amassed 443. Besides Williams, who's making a strong late-season push for C-USA Offensive Player of the Year honors, the Tigers got 201 passing yards from quarterback Danny Wimprine, who completed 17-of-29 for a touchdown and was not intercepted. Wimprine, who completed passes to nine different receivers, has not been intercepted during the team's four-game win streak, while tossing 10 touchdowns. The Tigers helped themselves in a hostile environment of 30,114 by not turning the ball over, marking the third time this season they've played error-free. "If we do that, I think we're hard to beat," said West, who got the 50th win of his coaching career. "And I say that because we've got some playmakers. Since we've stopped helping other people and being so nice, we've played pretty good." Since a disastrous first half at Mississippi State, the Tigers have been effective on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they are averaging 41 points per game during the win streak. Defensively, they have held their past three opponents to fewer than 300 yards. Louisville (7-3, 3-3) entered as the league's top-rushing unit at 212.4 yards per game, but was held to 57 yards. "Somehow, we were able to stop their running game and keep their quarterback under wraps," West said. No Louisville back gained more than 50 yards. No Louisville player had a gain of more than 31 yards. "Defensively, they put a lot of pressure on us," Cardinals coach Bobby Petrino said. The Cardinals were held to 89 yards in the second half, one in which the Tigers quickly ended hopes of a Louisville comeback. The Cardinals trailed 20-7 at the half, but could only watch as Memphis marched 80 yards in 5:20 on the opening possession to go up, 28-7. From there, it only got worse for the Cardinals. On Memphis' next possession the Cardinals stopped the Tigers at the U of L 32, but Wimprine's pooch punt was downed at the 1. Two plays later, Memphis linebacker Coot Terry busted through the line to knock the ball from LeFors and out of the end zone for a safety. Louisville's ensuing free kick gave Memphis possession at the Cardinal 45 and the Tigers used four plays to take a 37-7 lead, scoring on a 19-yard pass from Wimprine to Darron White. "It's a lot of fun playing on this team," Wimprine said. Behind an impressive defensive effort and several big plays, Memphis overcame a special teams breakdown that led to a Louisville touchdown to take a 20-7 lead at the half. After spotting Louisville a 7-0 lead, the Tigers rallied, sparked by Taylor's inter-ception. On third-and-10 from the Memphis 47, LeFors dropped back to pass, but immediately was pressured by Memphis nosetackle LaVale Washington. LeFors' hurried pass was tipped by David McNair and it landed in the arms of Taylor, who, at 283 pounds, rumbled down the right sideline, sidestepping a would-be tackler near the Louisville 10 and falling into the end zone. Taylor's big play set a defensive tone. The Tiger defense held Louisville, the conference's No. 1 offense, to 31 yards and two first downs in the second quarter. Tied at 7-all, the Tigers followed Taylor's interception by going 60 yards in six plays and scoring on Williams's 17-yard run. Midway through the second quarter, Wimprine and Avery hooked up on a 55-yard pass play to the Louisville 7 and Stephen Gostkowski ended the drive with a 22-yard field goal. Gostkoswki added another field goal, this one from 28 yards, in the closing seconds of the half. - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/16/03		No. 7 Heaven For Staff, Fans (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 16, 2003 LOUISVILLE - A light, chilling mist was falling as the University of Memphis players and coaches were celebrating their 37-7 Conference USA victory over Louisville, several dancing on the damp artificial surface of Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The wet conditions made it difficult to determine whether those were tears, or the effects from being in the inclement weather, running down Tiger assistant John Flowers's face. Flowers, standing outside the stadium's north end zone, was soaking in the atmosphere, seemingly in no hurry to depart from a scene he had never witnessed: a victory in Louisville. "This is sweet, this is so sweet,'' said Flowers, the team's director of football operations in his 19th season at the U of M. ''The kids came in here and were focused about what they needed to do. They just refuse to lose now.'' But for Flowers, it was more than a lopsided win at Louisville that had him near tears. The win likely ensured the Tigers (7-3 overall, 4-2 in C-USA) will play in the postseason for the first time since 1971. It also gave them seven wins in a season for the first time since 1976. Flowers hadn't witnessed either of those during his lengthy tenure, either. "This was a violent place when we walked in here," Flowers said. ''But our kids played a great game. They were fundamentally sound. And (offensive coordinator) Randy (Fichtner) and (defensive coordinator) Joe Lee (Dunn) had great plans . . . golly, we're 7 and 3.'' Flowers wasn't the only one beside himself. There were others celebrating, fans and supporters who have endured eight straight losing seasons and one of the nation's longest bowl droughts. But with the convincing victory over one of the conference's best programs, the Tigers likely clinched a bowl spot. TCU and Southern Miss are battling for the C-USA title and the berth in the AXA Liberty Bowl, but the Tigers will be courted by C-USA affiliated bowl games in Mobile, Ala., New Orleans, Fort Worth and Hawaii. "We clinched a bowl game,'' said Ray Daniels, longtime Tiger supporter and former president of the Highland Hundred booster club. ''Among our (four) choices, we may be able to take our pick. This is just a great deal. And this was a great win. It seems like every trip I've made up here has been agonizing.'' Highland Hundred president Joe Barkley was huddled outside the Tiger locker room, too, accepting congratulations and good-natured ribbing that he may have to serve another term as president. "This is such a huge win for the program,'' Barkley said. ''Louisville has been the bell-cow for this conference for a long time. This just shows how far we've come.'' Louisville, C-USA champion in 2000 and 2001, has been to five straight bowl games and was one of three C-USA programs invited to join the Big East beginning in 2005. The Cardinals entered the game with only two losses, both by three points. One came this month to a 10th-ranked TCU team. "Since I've been in this league, the two teams that have been a measuring stick for us have been Southern Miss and Louisville,'' said Tiger coach Tommy West. ''So it's a big, big win for us. It's hard to win on the road, but this is a team that has been on a pretty good roll. We're a very confident football team right now.'' And, according to Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson, this is program that has made itself attractive to the bowls, blending a high-scoring, entertaining offense with a blitzing, attacking, big-play defense. "These guys have worked so hard," Johnson said. "I'm so proud of Tommy and his staff. We've got seven wins, seven wins. They haven't seen seven wins around here in a long time.''

11/16/03		Tiger Postgame (Louisville) (Commercial Appeal)
		Memphis~14~6~17~0~-~37~ Louisville~7~0~0~0~-~7~ UL:x Gates 12 run (Smith kick) UM:x Taylor 52 interception return (Gostkowski kick) UM:x Williams 17 run (Gostkowski kick) UM:x FG Gostkowski 22 UM:x FG Gostkowski 28 UM:x Wimprine 1 run (Martin pass to Wimprine) UM:x Safety, LeFors fumbled ball out of end zone UM:x White 19 pass from Wimprine (Gostkowski kick) A-30,114. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS Rushing: Memphis, Williams 27-154, Parquet 7-34, Cole 8-25, Wimprine 4-21, Avery 2-6, Price 1-1, White 1-1, TEAM 1-0. Louisville, Gates 14-48, Bush 3-11, LeFors 8-4, Smith 1-1, Haskins 1-(minus-7). Passing: Memphis, Wimprine 17-29-0-201. Louisville, LeFors 13-31-1-159. Receiving: Memphis, White 3-55, Kelley 3-29, Williams 3-25, Douglas 2-8, Doucette 2-5, Avery 1-55, Davis 1-16, Pratcher 1-11, Price 1-(minus-3). Louisville, Russell 4-36, Tinch 3-69, Gates 2-18, Ghent 2-7, Clark 1-31, Bush 1-(minus-2). Play of the game It occurred on Memphis's opening drive of the second half. The Tigers, leading 20-7, drove 80 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown that gave them a 21-point lead. The Tigers got the two-point conversion on a throwback pass from Darron White to quarterback Danny Wimprine, who had scored the touchdown on a 1-yard run. By the numbers 128: The consecutive number of passes Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors had thrown without being intercepted before Memphis's Eric Taylor ended the string in the first quarter. 9: The number of consecutive 100-yard games by Tiger tailback DeAngelo Williams this season. 220: The number of carries this season for Williams, who broke the single-season mark of 219 held by Dave Casinelli. For the defense After Tiger defensive end Taylor intercepted a Louisville pass and rambled 52 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter, the Memphis defense shut down Louisville's nationally ranked offense for the next two quarters. On Louisville's next six possessions, the Tigers held the Cardinals to 35 yards and two first downs. By the end of the third quarter, the Louisville offense, averaging 482 yards per game, had managed but 163. Odds and ends Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson said Saturday that the Louisville football series likely will end after next year when the Cardinals depart Conference USA for the Big East. In their final C-USA season in 2004, the Cardinals are scheduled to play at Memphis. Johnson said he didn't foresee a scenario that would allow him to find a spot on the schedule for the Cardinals. ''We'll pick up other non-conference games,'' Johnson said. ''Anyway, our fans cared more about the Louisville-Memphis basketball rivalry.'' Johnson said the Tigers return to an 11-game schedule next fall and are tentatively scheduled to play non-conference games against Arkansas State, Ole Miss and Tennessee. Tennessee officials would like to drop next year's game, scheduled for November at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The Tigers, who have only five home games in 2004, will play the same eight C-USA schools, but the sites will be reversed. University of Memphis sports information department officials will begin sending out a postcard touting Tiger running back Williams for postseason honors. Bob Winn, assistant athletic director for media relations, said the card will be sent to media members voting on postseason teams and will include Williams's accomplishments this season, including setting the school record for most rushing yards in a season. Louisville running back Eric Shelton, a Florida State transfer, did not play because of a severe neck injury sustained in the first half of the Nov. 5 TCU game. Shelton also is expected to miss next Saturday's home game against Houston. Once again, the Tigers were plagued by special teams problems. Louisville's first touchdown came four plays after the Cardinals blocked Memphis kicker Brandon Roberson's punt on fourth-and-4 from the Louisville 43. When the Tigers were forced to punt on their following possession, they sent in quarterback Wimprine to punt rugby style, a tactic the Tigers resorted to during the second half of last season. In the second quarter, Maurice Avery, who shared the rugby-style punting duties with Wimprine a year ago, booted a 45-yard punt to the Louisville 13. The 52-yard interception return for a touchdown by Memphis defensive end Taylor in the first quarter kept a streak alive for the Tiger defense. For the third straight road game, the Tiger defense returned an interception for a TD. Will Hyden returned an interception 36 yards for a TD at Houston and Scott Vogel went 38 yards for a TD against Tulane. - By Phil Stukenborg

11/16/03		Cardinals Sent East With A Pain In The ... (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 16, 2003 LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Randall Johnson stood in the blue corner of this stadium, stunned, giddy, and just a little hoarse. He looked at the scoreboard. He would have toted it back home, if he could. Memphis 37, Louisville 7. "This is the team the Big East wanted?" he said. And then he laughed. Because it's time for Memphis fans to laugh, or dance, or hoot, or otherwise cut loose. You know that dream season you thought would never come? It's here. The Tigers have won seven games. They're routing teams now. They have an offense that can score from anywhere and a defense that starts blitzing during the pregame meal. They are a lock for a bowl game for the first time since 1971. And on their last trip to Louisville before the Cardinals flee to the Big East, they came up to Papa John's stadium and won for their first time in this city in 20 years. How did Memphis radio commentator Bob Rush put it during the game? "I'd like my Papa John's with a little extra whoop-arse on it," he said. Only he didn't say arse. Which was perfect. If only because of the plane that circled the stadium before the game. The plane pulled a banner that said, "Big East 2005." It felt like aerial gloating, really. The refs should have thrown a flag for excessive celebration right there. But the Tigers took care of it on the field. Memphis smashed Louisville. The same way Memphis has smashed everyone since coach Tommy West said the team would go 9-3. You remember that, right? After the Mississippi State game, he said the team would win six straight. At the time, a drug test seemed in order. Now DeAngelo Williams has raised the stakes. "I think we can win 10," he said. Ten? "With the bowl game." Ahhhh. Of course. The way things are going, why not? The Cardinals actually had a lead in this one. They had the lead and the ball. Then Memphis defensive end David McNair deflected a ball into the hands of fellow end Eric Taylor, who galloped - OK, gallumped - 52 yards for a touchdown. It was like Will Hyden's touchdown against Houston, like Scott Vogel's touchdown against Tulane. It opened the floodgates, unleashed the hounds, insert your own cataclysmic metaphor here. The Tigers scored 37 straight points. Whatever they wanted to do, they did. Williams flying around the corner (touchdown!). Darron White running wide-open down the right hash (touchdown!). Danny Wimprine handing the ball to White, then heading out to catch White's pass in return (geez, this is fun!). "It's just great playing on this team right now," Wimprine said. "We don't care about anything else." Which is a useful lesson, really, for Memphis fans struggling with the disappointment of being left out of the Big East. There's nothing to be done now, after all. That ship has sailed. Might as well shut up, work hard, and revel in the best Memphis season anyone can recall. Like White, the Memphis receiver, who hurdled into the stands after the game. You've heard of the Lambeau Leap? We give you the Papa John's plunge. White wandered through the Memphis section, hugging anyone he could get his arms around. "I love my crowd," he said. "I love this year." West, to his everlasting credit, didn't fret about the celebration. Never mind that junk about getting too high. "Have you ever had to wait this long for a party?" he said. More whoop-arse, all around! Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364; E-mail: calkins@commercialappeal .com. You can hear his radio show, "SportsTime with George Lapides and Geoff Calkins," from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday on WHBQ-AM (560).

11/15/03		Volleyball Secures First Round Bye In C-USA Championships (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The University of Memphis volleyball team (28-5, 9-4 C-USA) took it down to the wire, but managed to secure a first-round bye in next weekend's Conference USA tournament with a 3-1 win over Tulane (24-6, 9-4 C-USA), Saturday, in both team's regular season finale. Memphis won the first two games 30-26, 30-27 before dropping a 30-22 decision in game three. Memphis came back from 17-16 down to win the fourth game 30-24. Tiger seniors Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) and Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Marys) both capped their home careers in style, with each finishing with 12 kills, while Neba added four block assists. The win secured Memphis' first-ever first-round bye, but could set up a rematch with the Green Wave in the quarterfinals, this time on their home court. With the loss, Tulane earns the No. 5 seed in the C-USA tournament, and will face the No. 12 seed in the opening round, Friday. Should Tulane get by the 12 seed, they will face the No. 4 seeded Tigers on Saturday. Friday's contest was statistically very similar, with Tulane downing 61 kills to Memphis' 60, and hitting .194, while the Tigers hit .193. The Green Wave out-blocked Memphis 13-7, but it was timely kills and mini-runs that helped Memphis pull out the win. Junior outside Tiara Gilkey led the Tigers with 13 kills, while Nancy Nellans, Barnett and Neba each finished with 12. Gilkey also led the defense with 16 digs, while Nellans added 13. Christen Clayton and Heather Watts also hit double-digits in digs with 11 and 10, respectively, in the win. Memphis now awaits the release of the bracket from Conference USA to determine what time they will play in the tournament. Since host Tulane may be in that match, the Tigers may be looking at a 7 p.m. match against the Green Wave on their home court in the semifinals. Cincinnati secured the No. 1 seed for the tournament, but fell 3-1 at USF, Saturday, falling into a tie with Louisville at 12-1. But since the Bearcats beat the Cardinals in Cincinnati, they will earn the league's top seed. Southern Miss earned the No. 3 seed with the win over Memphis, Friday, and with the win, Memphis earned the No. 4 seed.

11/15/03		Tigers Clobber Cardinals, 37-7 (GoTigersGo.com)
		By CHRIS DUNCAN AP Sports Writer LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Danny Wimprine threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Memphis shut down Louisville's potent offense in a 37-7 win on Saturday. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 Conference USA) won in Louisville for the first time since 1983. Memphis has won four straight games for the first time since 1994 and reached seven victories for the first time since 1976. The Cardinals (7-3, 3-3) came into the game ranked fifth in the nation in total offense (482 yards per game). They gained only 216 yards and 12 first downs - both season lows - against Memphis and mustered their lowest point total since October 2001. Louisville suffered its worst home loss since Kentucky's 68-34 win in the 1998 season opener - the first game ever played at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinals got off to a good start, taking a 7-0 lead. Tiger Jones blocked a Memphis punt with 8:32 left in the opening quarter. Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors threw a 26-yard pass to Joshua Tinch before Lionel Gates scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. Gates was starting in place of Louisville's leading rusher Eric Shelton, who's out for two weeks with a neck injury. Later in the first quarter, LeFors had a pass deflected into the hands of Memphis defensive tackle Eric Taylor, who returned it 52 yards for the tying touchdown. The Tigers scored on an interception return for the third time in four games. Williams, who leads the nation in all-purpose yardage, had a 17-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter to give the Tigers their first lead. Midway through the second quarter, Wimprine hit Maurice Avery for a 55-yard pass that gave the Tigers a first down at the Louisville 5. The drive stalled, though, and the Tigers settled for a 22-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. Memphis drove for another Gostkowski field goal and a 20-7 lead just before halftime. The Cardinals had not trailed by more than 11 points in any game this season. The Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 80 yards in 11 plays. Wimprine went 4-for-5 on the drive and finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run. A Memphis punt pinned Louisville at its own 1-yard line later in the third quarter. LeFors fumbled out of the back of the end zone for a safety and a 30-7 Memphis lead. Wimprine threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Darron White two minutes later.

11/15/03		Wimprine, Williams Lead Tigers To Victory Over Louisville (Commercial Appeal)
		By CHRIS DUNCAN November 15, 2003 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Danny Wimprine threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Memphis shut down Louisville's potent offense in a 37-7 win on Saturday. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers (7-3, 3-2 Conference USA) won in Louisville for the first time since 1983. Memphis has won four straight games for the first time since 1994 and reached seven victories for the first time since 1976. The Cardinals (7-3, 3-3) came into the game ranked fifth in the nation in total offense (482 yards per game). They gained only 216 yards and 12 first downs _ both season lows _ against Memphis and mustered their lowest point total since October 2001. Louisville suffered its worst home loss since Kentucky's 68-34 win in the 1998 season opener _ the first game ever played at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinals got off to a good start, taking a 7-0 lead. Tiger Jones blocked a Memphis punt with 8:32 left in the opening quarter. Louisville quarterback Stefan LeFors threw a 26-yard pass to Joshua Tinch before Lionel Gates scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. Gates was starting in place of Louisville's leading rusher Eric Shelton, who's out for two weeks with a neck injury. Later in the first quarter, LeFors had a pass deflected into the hands of Memphis defensive tackle Eric Taylor, who returned it 52 yards for the tying touchdown. The Tigers scored on an interception return for the third time in four games. Williams, who leads the nation in all-purpose yardage, had a 17-yard touchdown run on the last play of the first quarter to give the Tigers their first lead. Midway through the second quarter, Wimprine hit Maurice Avery for a 55-yard pass that gave the Tigers a first down at the Louisville 5. The drive stalled, though, and the Tigers settled for a 22-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski. Memphis drove for another Gostkowski field goal and a 20-7 lead just before halftime. The Cardinals had not trailed by more than 11 points in any game this season. The Tigers took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched 80 yards in 11 plays. Wimprine went 4-for-5 on the drive and finished it with a 1-yard touchdown run. A Memphis punt pinned Louisville at its own 1-yard line later in the third quarter. LeFors fumbled out of the back of the end zone for a safety and a 30-7 Memphis lead. Wimprine threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Darron White two minutes later.

11/15/03		Forget The League; It's Louisville (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 15, 2003 LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Tommy West has been joking that his football team is about to embark on the "Big East" portion of its schedule, one that has his Tigers finishing the season against Louisville, Cincinnati and South Florida. The three Conference USA schools accepted invitations Nov. 4 to join the Big East, beginning with the 2005-06 season, and leaving Memphis, which lobbied for an invitation but was turned down by Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. A perfect scenario to use as motivation today at 2 p.m. at Louisville? Not for West, the Tigers' third-year coach. His team, which will remain in a revamped C-USA (one that will add SMU, Rice, Tulsa, Marshall and Central Florida) is too concerned about the present, which involves trying to secure the program's first bowl bid in 32 years. A win today against Louisville (7-2 overall, 3-2 in C-USA) at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium likely would ensure a postseason game for the Tigers (6-3, 3-2). It also would give the U of M seven wins in a season for the first time since 1976 and guarantee the program's first winning season since 1994. That's enough motivation for West, who hopes his team can extend a three-game winning streak and keep its late-season momentum alive after being off last weekend. To win four straight, the Tigers will have to handle a Louisville offense that ranks first in C-USA and is led by first-year quarterback Stefan LeFors, who has become one of the league's top playmakers. LeFors leads C-USA in total offense (274.1 yards per game) and pass efficiency (149.4 rating). He ranks third on the team in rushing with 250 yards, has completed 62 percent of his passes and has caught a touchdown pass. And he's, somewhat surprisingly to the rest of the league, picking up where Dave Ragone left off. Ragone, the league's two-time offensive player of the year, completed his eligibility last season and LeFors, with little experience, stepped in and has prospered. What he's done since then is lead the Cardinals to seven wins. Louisville's only losses have come in two overtimes at South Florida and by inches at nationally ranked TCU. The Cardinals had a potential game-tying field goal in the closing seconds strike the crossbar. "I watched the TCU game (on ESPN2), and I got a chance to see it on tape and there's no doubt the difference for them is their quarterback," West said. "They are a rushing team that has a quarterback that can escape . . . that's not what you want." LeFors has been backed by a solid offense, led by senior tight end Ronnie Ghent, receiver J.R. Russell, an experienced offensive line and running back Eric Shelton, a Florida State transfer who may miss the game with an injury. But it has been LeFors directing the unit, one that hasn't lost a fumble in 110 rushing attempts. "Stefan is the catalyst because of his competitiveness and his ability to move the ball around to different guys," said Louisville coach Bobby Petrino. "He did a nice job (at TCU). He competed so hard and he was able to scramble around and make plays when they weren't there." And that is the aspect of LeFors's game that concerns West most. "I thought he was capable of beating you with his feet as I watched him on TV," West said. "He also doesa great job of keeping his eyes downfield and finding people. I was kind of hoping when they lost (Ragone) that they wouldn't be quite as good at quarterback, but they are as good." Tiger defensive end Treveco Lucas says LeFors "is probably the fastest quarterback we have faced. He has a ton of natural ability, and we are going to have to be where we're supposed to be. "When we rush we're going to have to keep out of the rush lanes and keep him hemmed in, we can't let him get out of the pocket. When he gets out of the pocket, that's when he gets real dangerous." The teams mirror each other in terms of offensive production. Louis ville ranks first in scoring (34.0 ppg), rushing offense (212.4 ypg) and total offense (482.4 ypg). Memphis ranks second in scoring (32.4), first in passing offense (283.1) and second in total offense (469.3). In running back DeAngelo Williams, the Tigers have the nation's leader in all-purpose yardage and C-USA's top rusher at 126.7 yards per game. Shootout, anyone? "Stat wise we are very similar," West said. "If you look at points scored, yards, everything, the two offenses are very similar. They probably lean a little more on the run game, while we lean a little more on the passing game. It'll be two good offenses doing what they have to do to win the game." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/15/03		Passion Of Basketball Rivalry Rides With Tiger Football Squad (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 15, 2003 Victories and vitriol. Losses and loathing. Louisville and Memphis. The rivalry you had to love, the rival you had to hate. A basketball history so rich that even Danny Wimprine, today's Tiger quarterback, is aware of its passions. "Both of them were really good back in the day," Wimprine says. But with the Tigers 6-3 and bowl-eligible, this is a new day. Or as Tiger linebacker Greg Harper says: "This game means more than any other Louisville game we've ever played." Any game played with a pointy ball, that is. The rivalry you have to love has changed venues. The rival you have to hate is now wearing a football helmet. Which, given the history, might be a good thing. The first big Louisville-Memphis basketball flash point came in 1971 and featured the Tigers' Fred Horton swinging a chair. Of course, as Horton explained in this newspaper several years ago, he was provoked. "A (Louisville player) blind-sided me and I chased him to (their) bench. The next thing you know I was surrounded. I grabbed a chair and started swinging." Metaphorically, at least, the Tigers need to come out swinging this afternoon at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium against 7-2 Louisville. Because for the first time in forever the biggest Memphis-Louisville game of the year might not be played on the basketball court. And if you doubt this, consider loyal Tiger fan Harold Byrd's answer to a most cruel question: If the Tigers can win either today's game or the basketball game Feb. 28 at Freedom Hall - but not both - where would he take his victory? "I would take the football for sure," says Byrd, 53. "But that's a tough one." Storied past The rivalry can be summed up in one word: bittersweet. Remember the 1971-72 regular-season sweep of Louisville as the Tigers beat the Cardinals at Freedom Hall for the first time? How sweet was that? But what about the Missouri Valley Conference-ordered playoff game at the end of the season - played in Nashville - because Memphis and Louisville tied for the league championship? The Tigers lost that game. How bitter was that? Last season the Tigers went into Freedom Hall with the Cardinals ranked 4th in the country and whipped them. The Tigers then lost there a few weeks later in the Conference USA Tournament. The passion between the two schools once stirred such base emotions that during Keith Lee's last home game in 1985 at the Mid-South Coliseum, with Tiger fans irate at an official's call, an open switch blade hit the floor. The Commercial Appeal's Ron Higgins covered that game and saw the knife skid to a stop in front of official John Clougherty. "Dana Kirk wanted the knife, but Cloughtery picked up the knife and wouldn't give it to him, like he was holding some kind of evidence in a murder trial," says Higgins. "They never found who threw it. That investigation lasted about 30 seconds." Meantime, the rivalry's lasted more than 30 years and is still going strong. And today, for at least today, it is handed off to the football team. After all, Louisville is leaving for the Big East. The schools might continue to play in basketball, but after next year they probably won't meet in football. But today they meet and you can feel the best of the old rivalry bubbling, maybe because as Byrd says, "Memphis football's almost like a volcano - ready to explode!" "It'll be intense," says Wimprine. "But I hope no knives fly out." Future is now Still, everyone in Memphis hopes that the Tigers don't miss this chance to, you know, stick it to Louisville. Athletic director R. C. Johnson will, of course, be there. He also figures to be at Freedom Hall come Feb. 28. So let's put the cruel question to him: You can win today or you win the basketball game later. Pick one. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" says Johnson, sounding rather like the Big East talking to him about Memphis. "This one comes before the other one. The easy answer would be for me to say football. When we play Louisville in basketball (in February), it'll be huge." But for the first time in forever, not one bit bigger than the football game. Which, honestly, leaves only one thing to say. Better late than never. Contact reporter Don Wade at 529-2358; E-mail: waded@commercialappeal.com

11/14/03		Cross Country Wraps Up Season At NCAA Regionals (GoTigersGo.com)
		AUBURN, Ala.-The University of Memphis Lady Tiger cross country team placed 22nd of 24 teams at the NCAA South Regional hosted by Auburn University on Saturday. Meanwhile, Memphis Tiger Adam Didyk placed 30th individually against a field of nearly 200 runners. Didyk ran a 31:19.88 in the 10K race. The senior from Adelaide, Australia was competing individually attempting to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The invitations for the championships held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa will be announced tomorrow, but it is unlikely that Didyk will receive and invitation to the meet despite his solid performance at regionals. The young Lady Tigers hoped to gain valuable experience at the NCAA Regional meet which was an open event. Senior Ali Baker was the Lady Tigers top runner placing 100th with a time of 23:35.82 in the 6K race. Mary Claire Dake placed 120th with a time of 24:01.88 and was followed by Daniele Riendeau (142nd, 24:31.62), Kara Cassel (155th, 25:17.72), Becca McMahon (158th, 25:23.77), Nora Nemere (161st, 25:28.37) and Michel Wilson (166th, 25:40:63). The Lady Tigers accumulated 641 points as a team and placed 22nd. Vicky Gill of Florida State was the top woman's finisher overall, clocking a 19:48.04. She was followed by Tiffany McWilliams of Mississippi State (20:42.60), Homan, Bente General of South Florida (20:53.57), Brooke Novak of Tennessee (20:54.80) and Wanyioke, all of whom advanced to the NCAA Championships. Tennessee was the top women's team while Florida State was second. In the men's race, Simon Ngata of Georgia was the top finisher, sprinting across the finish line in a time of 30:10.48, passing Florida State's Joep Tigchelaar in the final stretch (30:11.08). The next five were Steven Kocsis of Chattanooga (30:24.00), Kyle Rabbitt of Georgia Tech (30:25.11), Philip Bett of Georgia (30:27.75), Steve Zieminski of Florida (30:27.99) and Tim Kelly of Tennessee (30:29.58), all of whom advance to the NCAA Championships. Georgia was the top overall men's team followed by Florida State. The championships will be Nov. 24 at Byrnes Park/Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course in Waterloo, Iowa.

11/14/03		Volleyball Falls 3-2 To Southern Miss (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Southern Miss (26-5, 10-2 C-USA) scored eight unanswered points on junior setter Amy Truong's serve in the fifth game to eliminate a 7-6 Memphis lead and grab a 15-7 game five win in a 3-2 victory over the host Tigers (27-5, 8-4 C-USA) in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse, Friday. The win prevented a Tiger comeback from 2-0 down, and gave USM sole possession of third place in the C-USA standings following Cincinnati and Louisville wins earlier in the evening. Memphis now falls behind Tulane for the fourth and final first-round bye. The Green Wave and the Tigers will square off Saturday, at 7 p.m. in a winner takes all match. "We just made too many mistakes tonight," Tiger Head Coach Carrie Yerty said. "We had more kills than them, more blocks and out-dug them, but errors made the difference. Against the top teams in this conference you cannot come out and expect to win when you commit that many errors." Memphis downed 77 kills, 11 blocks and 88 digs in the loss, while USM had 63 kills, seven blocks and 64 digs. But Memphis committed 41 attack errors against just 24 Golden Eagle miscues, hitting below .100 in the first two games, both losses. Senior Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) was a consistent force for the Tigers all night, leading all players with 23 kills and adding 17 digs and two blocks. Tiara Gilkey and Nancy Nellans overcame slow starts to down 18 and 15 kills, respectively, while Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's) added 10 kills and led the Tiger with six blocks. Gilkey led the defense with 20 digs against the team coached by her former junior volleyball coach, while freshman Christen Clayton (Houston, Texas/Clear Lake) added 19. With the loss, Memphis drops behind Cincinnati, Louisville, Southern Miss and Tulane in the league standings. The Green Wave and the Tigers will square off Saturday. The winner of that match will receive a first-round bye and will not start playing until the quarterfinals next Saturday. If the Tigers lose to the Green Wave, who are hosting the league tournament this year, they would fall into a tie with Marquette, a team Memphis beat 3-2 in Milwaukee earlier this year.

11/14/03		Cross Country Set To Compete At South Regional (GoTigersGo.com)
		AUBURN - The University of Memphis women's cross country team and men's runner Adam Didyk will compete in the NCAA South Regional on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn, Ala. The meet will start at 9 a.m. with the men's 10,000-meter race, while the women's 6,000-meter race gets underway at 10 a.m. Adam Didyk, the Tigers top-runner this fall and 11th place finisher individually at the C-USA Championships will compete in the men's competition. A total of 255 cross country runners will be selected from nine regionals nationally for the NCAA Championships in two weeks. Didyk hopes to have one of his best efforts and qualify for NCAA's. "I feel like I'm running as well as I can right now," said Didyk. "It's been my goal all along to qualify for NCAA's and I hope I can do that Saturday." Didyk, a senior from Adelaide, Australia, is hopeful that this will not be his last competition as a Memphis Tiger. Should Didyk not qualify for NCAA's, it will mark the end of his career as a Memphis runner as Didyk's eligibility ends this fall. Despite a 14th place finish at the C-USA Championship, Coach Jonas Holdeman opted to enter his squad in the NCAA Regional, which is an open event, hoping that his team of seven true freshmen and 10 underclassmen can gain more experience and continue to build for the future. Senior Ali Baker will compete for the last time as a Memphis runner, while youngsters Michel Wilson, Becca McMahon, Kara Cassel, Mary Claire Dake, Nora Nemere and Daniele Riendeau look to imprive their times and gain confidence for the spring track season.

11/14/03		Refuse To Lose? The "No Name" Tigers Will Have To Buy Into Coach Calipari's System (Memphis Flyer)
		By Chris Gadd The door is ajar. You enter the Larry O. Finch Center. Immediately, your eyes are drawn to the wall-enveloping poster showcasing a nameless, faceless Tiger player, hand over heart, ostensibly reciting the University of Memphis basketball pledge. Then you notice a large board on which are seven hurriedly written commandments under the heading "To Be a Part of Our Team You Must:" Underneath these, a single question is written: "Are you willing to sacrifice?" Are they? That is the question for this 2003-'04 Tiger season. If they are willing to work for it, then a 20-win, NCAA tournament season is again possible. At least that's the consensus among media, coaches, and fans. But that query, as preseason prognostications often do, raises more questions: Will the Tigers be able to sustain the torrid pace they displayed in their 116-70 exhibition victory over the Universal All-Stars? Tiger fans, players, and coaches would love to think so. But reality will likely set in Thursday in Madison Square Garden when Memphis plays Wake Forest. U of M head coach John Calipari admits as much. "I think that other teams will be in better shape, and I don't think we are going to shoot 64 percent every game," Calipari says. Still, the Tigers will want to run and press more this season. Transition drills have been prevalent in practice, with Calipari colorfully critiquing them all. The coach hopes to utilize the strengths he sees in his starless, enigmatic squad: "Speed. Athleticism. Shooting ability. Guard play. Depth." Is that the Memphis Grizzlies' Mike Miller on the Tiger sidelines? No. It's his brother. Ryan Miller, 28, is the Memphis assistant director for basketball operations, and though he shares both the Miller name and a slight resemblance to Mike (he lacks his brother's 6'8" height), the elder South Dakotan already has established his own reputation as player and coach. Miller played in the Continental Basketball Association and in the Australian Basketball Association after graduating from Division II Northern State in South Dakota. He still holds the single-game scoring record (55 points) for his alma mater. Miller has also worked as an assistant for various minor-league basketball teams and was head coach of the Xtreme Basketball Association's Dakota Lightning. Miller says he couldn't ask for a better learning situation to achieve his dream of coaching in the NBA. "It's worked out well," he says, "having my brother here and working for one of the best coaches in the country." How will the always-animated Calipari's surgically repaired hip hold up? Calipari has displayed a noticeable limp through preseason. But it hasn't stopped him from getting on the court during practice to demonstrate plays and won't likely keep him off the court when "assisting" the referees. "I've just got to do a better job of rehabbing and weight training," Calipari says. "Believe me, I cannot run now. And, it's kind of hard to stomp." Wake Forest, Cincinnati, Southern Mississippi, and Missouri all boast 260- to 290-pound players. How will the Tigers' smallish post players match up? Calipari: "We'll do what we've done in the past. We will double-team that guy. We'll play some zone. We'll front him. But we need work and we need to find someone who can go in there and compete at a high level. And I think we have some guys that have an opportunity to do that." Who is the new, well-dressed, 6'9" guy on the sidelines? It's Simplice Njoya, a transfer from Duquesne and a Cameroon native who won't play until next season per NCAA transfer rules. His reason for leaving Duquesne is as simple as his name. "I did not like Duquesne anymore," Njoya says. "I do have a lot of good friends there, and it is a good school, but I did not like it anymore." Who is the other new guy on the sidelines giving Calipari a run for his Armani? It's Ed Schilling, Calipari's former assistant at UMass and the NBA New Jersey Nets and most recently the head coach of Wright State. A devout Christian with his own Web site (edschilling.com), Schilling was a record-setting point guard at Miami (Ohio) and is adjusting to Memphis -- and another seat next to Calipari. "The quality and the tradition is the biggest difference [between Wright State and Memphis]," Schilling says. "Memphis has been a basketball power for many years. The only thing that has been hard has been the time. Now, I'm on [Calipari's] schedule."

11/14/03		Tigers Look To Further Solidify A Bowl Berth At Louisville Saturday (Daily Helmsman)
		By Ben Cowens November 14, 2003 When your team sits at 6-3 with a chance to further secure a bowl bid every time you step on the field, the next game is always a big game. But when you're Memphis and your next opponent is Louisville, it takes on even more importance. "You'll really see how big this game is," said senior linebacker Greg Harper. "This has always been a big game, Memphis and Louisville. Practice is more intense, more focused than ever before. We're ready to get after it." Going into Saturday's game at Papa John's Stadium, everything is set up nicely for the Tigers. They have won three straight games by an average of 26.7 points per game, the offense and defense continue to improve and the Tigers have are coming off a bye week. Not that it is going to be easy. Louisville enters the game at 7-2 (3-2 in Conference USA), with their only two losses by 3 points each. Last Friday the Cardinals lost 31-28 to undefeated TCU. At home this year, they are a perfect 4-0. "Louisville's pretty good --they're good every year -- but I think we have a shot," Harper said. "We'll have to pick it up a notch to pull out this one. Whatever we've been doing we need just a little extra. If we can do that, I think we'll be all right." One of the key match-ups on Saturday will be a prolific Louisville offense against the Memphis defense. The Cardinals' attack features junior quarterback Stefan LeFors, who has stepped in and filled the shoes of Dave Ragone nicely this season. In the loss at TCU, LeFors threw for 459 yards and one touchdown, which earned him C-USA offensive player of the week honors. As a complement to LeFors' arm, running back Eric Shelton headlines the conference's most productive ground attack. Shelton is averaging 84 yards per game. Louisville ranks first in C-USA in points scored (34.0), rushing yards (212.4) and total yards (484.2). Harper knows that to compete defensively, the Tigers will have to play disciplined, opportunistic football. "We have to tackle. These guys break a lot of tackles," Harper said. "Everybody has got to get to the ball and create turnovers. "If we can just get it done on the defensive side of the ball and give our offense a chance with some good field position, I think we've got a pretty good shot." Good field position will be a key. The Achilles heel for the U of M this year has been special teams. Against East Carolina, Memphis gave up a touchdown on a kickoff return and a long punt return set up another score. Earlier this season Memphis gave up another touchdown on the kickoff return against Mississippi State. Those types of lapses in Louisville could be even more damaging. The good news for the Tigers lately has been the offense. For the past three games Memphis has been as good as anybody this side of Norman, Okla. They have averaged over 42 points per game during the current three game winning streak -- that's more points than B.J. Symons and pass-happy Texas Tech have scored in their last three. According to Danny Wimprine, the recent scoring surge is a product of offensive patience, a lesson that the Tigers will have to remember on Saturday. "We've got to stay within ourselves (on offense)," Wimprine said. "We can't go in there with the mindset that we have to make a bunch of plays and end up turning the ball over. If we take what the defense gives us we'll be fine." For their part Memphis players seem confident that Louisville can be beaten, even in their own stadium. "Anybody can beat you on any given day," said senior defensive end Treveco Lucas. "We just need to keep playing like we've been playing, just keep doing what the coaches tell us to." 7-3 would never feel so good.

11/14/03		This Weekend Could Make Or Break Season For Volleyball Team (Daily Helmsman)
		By Dalton Webb November 14, 2003 You couldn't have planned it any better. When The University of Memphis Volleyball Team goes into their final two games this weekend against Southern Miss and Tulane all three teams will be fighting for a three seed in the Conference USA tournament. The Lady Tigers have been putting together one of their best seasons ever. Memphis currently stands at 27-4 and 8-3 in conference, tied with Tulane in the C-USA standings at 8-3, 23-5 overall. Southern Miss has the upper hand on both teams with a 9-2 record in conference play and 25-5 overall. Although they're having perhaps their best season, Memphis head coach Carrie Yerty said that she couldn't single out any particular reason for the success. "I'm just so excited for our program," Yerty said. "It's hard to single out one person when so many records have been broken." One thing Yerty made clear is that she thinks this squad is one of the best teams she has ever coached when it comes to cohesion and teamwork. "Without question this is the best-skilled team, this is the best-trained team and they have a lot of heart," said Yerty. "We've had other players from other teams that have done wonderfully, but this team has put it all together at the right time." Several players are in the top of Conference USA in leading statistics. Junior setter Heather Watts is currently second in assists at 13 a game. Freshman Hristina Slancheva leads the conference is service aces and Brittany Barnett and Tiara Gilkey are both in the top 10 in kills. Barnett has been a big part of the Lady Tigers this season by becoming only the 13th player in Tiger history to get over 1,000 career kills. The Tigers, who finished 19-15 last season, have a legitimate shot at doing well in the Conference USA tournament because they are 8-0 on a neutral court. If they can continue to win, Memphis could be in line for their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1994. The '94 visit was the programs only career invite to the tournament. That team finished 27-8 after a first round exit against San Diego State. Even after two recent losses to Top-25 teams, their current 27-4 record is the best in school history after 31 matches.

11/14/03		Deacons Topple Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 14, 2003 NEW YORK - Apparently it takes more than an appendectomy to keep Taron Downey from winning a game with his jump shot. Count the University of Memphis among those who now know. Willis Reed running out of the tunnel, it was not. But Downey's effort Thursday was similarly valiant in finishing with 20 points and five assists to lead 20th-ranked Wake Forest to an 85-76 victory over the Tigers before an announced crowd of 6,222 at Madison Square Garden. ''Downey played with tremendous courage coming off the appendectomy,'' said Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser. ''Early in the game, I kept asking him if he wanted to come out. By the end of the game, I stopped asking him.'' Downey started on the bench with a fresh scar from surgery eight days prior. Roughly two hours later, the junior guard had officially scarred Memphis (0-1) with 14 second-half points that helped the Demon Deacons (1-0) open a double-digit lead with about six minutes remaining. Downey hit from the outside. Downey hit from the lane. And in the process he presented one of those goofy ACT mind-bogglers everybody goes through. Question: Hair is to Samson as appendix is to Taron Downey. Answer: False. ''I was surprised he was even playing,'' said Memphis coach John Calipari. ''He's a veteran, ACC guard. He wasn't afraid. He knew where to get the ball. . . . I was hoping he would be out, to be honest with you.'' Instead it was Rodney Carney who was out, or at least for a big portion of the first half after picking up two fouls 124 seconds into the game. Carney finished with 19 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes, all of which are respectable numbers. Even so, the sophomore's absence early was noticeable and had repercussions. ''It killed us,'' Calipari said. ''Now all of a sudden Anthony (Rice) and Antonio (Burks) had to play way too many minutes. It just killed our team.'' Memphis freshman Sean Banks finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds in his college debut. Billy Richmond added 14 points and Burks and Rice each had 10 to give the Tigers five players in double-figures. - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/14/03		Tigers Postgame (Wake Forest) (Commercial Appeal)
		Let's call it plays of the game, all of which came in the three-minute span late. U of M sophomore Rodney Carney buried a three with 7:19 remaining to cut the Wake Forest lead to 63-59. But the Demon Deacons countered with a 10-0 run that featured two jumpers from Taron Downey to push their advantage to 73-59 with 4:30 remaining. After that, the Tigers fell behind by as many as 14 and never got closer than seven again while becoming erratic on both ends of the court. Stat of the game Memphis shot 41.4 percent from the free throw line in its opener, including a 5-of-14 effort in the second half. X's and O's Because of Wake Forest's size and Carney's early foul trouble the Tigers turned to a bigger lineup than they will normally play. For long stretches, 6-11 Modibo Diarra and 6-9 Duane Erwin were on the court together. Consequently, the Tigers out-rebounded Wake Forest 49-47. Odds and ends Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson said Thursday that he and coach John Calipari are working on a three-year contract extension that would sign the coach through 2010. Nothing is imminent. And Johnson said financial terms haven't been discussed. "With all the conference unrest and what have you, I'd like to try to get this done," Johnson said. Two days have passed in the national signing period and the Tigers still have no signings despite committing five players early. It breaks down like this: Darius Washington of Florida told The Commercial Appeal he will sign with Memphis at his school's Midnight Madness tonight. Hamilton High's Shawne Williams is now "exploring all his options," while Robert Dozier of Georgia and Richard Dorsey and Kareem Cooper of North Carolina have yet to make good on their commitments. Calipari was vague Thursday, saying that he does expect to get letters of intent from the players Memphis has committed. Derrick Chew, who began practicing with the Tigers as a walk-on over the weekend, made the trip to New York. The Raleigh- Egypt graduate wasted no time getting into the record book. He entered the game in the final two minutes of the first half against Wake Forest, launched a jumper that missed badly and then returned to the bench. "I was calling him by his number because I couldn't remember his name," Calipari said. "I've only known him for a couple of days." What's next The Tigers play their second exhibition Tuesday night against Team Georgia at The Pyramid. Memphis's next regular-season game is Nov. 22 against Fordham. - By Gary Parrish

11/14/03		Calipari Best Thing Going For Tigers (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 14, 2003 NEW YORK - John Calipari sat at the press table, watching the next game, talking about the good news of the night. It didn't come from the court. Not much good came from the court. The Tigers couldn't hit foul shots and couldn't get big rebounds and lost to Wake Forest, 85-76. But Calipari may have time to work on it. That's the good news, see. Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson has approached Calipari about a contract extension through 2010. Calipari is inclined to say yes. "Everywhere I go, people ask me if I'm going to help get us through this," Calipari said. "As long as the school is committed to a big-time program, I want to. I really do." Calipari didn't have to expand on what he meant by get through this. These are not the easiest times for the Memphis athletic program. The conference situation is horrendous. Memphis is losing longtime rivals Louisville and Cincinnati. Johnson has been hammered by fans for his willingness to ditch the Memphis-Tennessee series. All of which makes Calipari more important than ever, more vital to the task of maintaining the program's profile until the next round of conference musical chairs. You can see the guy's impact wherever he goes in this city, in the way he attracts people, and cameras, and press. Calipari is the reason Memphis was back in New York for a second straight year. He's the difference between the Tigers and, say, UAB. Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser was the winning coach Thursday night. But which coach drew the bigger pack of reporters afterward? Calipari, of course. That's his indisputable talent, his singular gift. Calipari is irresistible. Even to the skeptical. He's a force of nature, a charming, brilliant, stubborn, impossible, relentless, well-meaning rogue. He has his flaws. Those have been chronicled, too. He antagonizes people he doesn't need to antagonize. He's as stubborn as they come. Take the whole Tennessee-Memphis ruckus. He's had a part in all that. He ticked off Tennessee people by saying he'd prefer to play a national schedule. Like they're Popcorn U. Now it turns out that Memphis has offered to continue to play Tennessee in basketball, but only after next year. Why the two years off? Hmmm. Think it might be because Memphis transfer Scooter McFadgon will be gone by then? It would be typical Calipari. Scrappy and unyielding. The guy has never met a fight he couldn't pick. But you know what? He's worth it. More than that, he may be the best hope the program has. How else to attract the best recruits? How else to put fannies in the seats? How else to keep Memphis in the national spotlight when it plays a conference full of basketball dregs? That's why the contract extension is important. That and the reassuring signal it sends. Calipari is fighting to hang on to his class of elite recruits. Not one of them signed a letter of intent on signing day. Darius Washington is expected to sign today. The other four? Who knows. "I can't say anything about it," Calipari said. "But what is cheating? If a school has a commitment from someone, and another school tampers with that committment, is that cheating?" It's life in a watered-down C-USA, is what it is. But Calipari can survive. And flourish. Because his personality doesn't permit anything else. He was booed Thursday night for continuing to order up fouls after the game was lost. He then blistered his team for its selfish approach. "I think we had a lot of guys who came here to show off their new game," Calipari said. "When you do that, your team doesn't do well and you look awful. "Rodney Carney was awful compared to how he's been. "Antonio Burks was awful compared to how he's been." Calipari shrugged. One of the New York writers asked about his bum hip. "It hurts," he said. "But you know what? Tonight hurt worse." Contact columnist Geoff Calkins at 529-2364; E-mail: calkins@commercialappeal.com

11/14/03		Tiger Fans May Win Fight To Play UT (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 14, 2003 NEW YORK - Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson has received the message: It might not be such a wise idea to negotiate an end to the Memphis-Tennessee football series, after all. "I've been inundated in E-mails and phone calls," Johnson said. "People are very passionate that we need to play them. "I'm going to reconsider it. I'm not in such an ivory tower that I'm immune to how fans feel." Earlier in the week, Johnson confirmed he was in negotiations with Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton that might have put an end to the series. The schools have contracts to play each other in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. Some reports said Hamilton was unwilling to play the Tigers in football because Memphis refused to play Tennessee in men's basketball. Johnson said that was absolutely not the case. "If anyone said that, I don't know why," Johnson said. "We offered them two years, four years and six years in basketball beginning in 2005." Johnson said the school wanted to restart the basketball series after next season because "it's the last year of the current conference arrangement." Still, Johnson insisted the two series are not linked, and that he was operating on his belief it was no longer in the best interests of Memphis to play Tennessee in football. "I just felt like we didn't need to do it," he said. "Part of building a successful program is scheduling. We haven't been to a bowl since 1971." Johnson said he'd rather build a season-ticket base on the strength of a winning program than on a single attractive game with Tennessee. "We've been playing them and we've still had fiscal problems," he said. "My feeling was it was time to try another approach." The athletic director said he tried to explain this to the many people who have called and written this week, asking that the series be retained. "But they didn't want to hear it," he said. "They want to play them, no matter what. "I was surprised. I'm a lone wolf out there. I'm not so stupid as to tell you I won't listen to the vast majority of people on this." Johnson did not indicate how any of this would play into the negotiations, except to say nothing has yet been decided. "It's not over," he said. "We still have contracts to play." Hamilton has said the football contract between the schools, written in 1990, reads that if either decides to cancel, there's a $10,000 penalty. Hamilton declined further comment when reached Thursday night. - Geoff Calkins: 529-2364

11/14/03		Not Sold On Tigers? Let Reader Tell Story (Commercial Appeal)
		By Geoff Calkins Contact November 14, 2003 Memphis is playing Louisville. Which is a very big game and I'd love to break it down for you with X's, O's and other important parts of the alphabet. But it's more important that you read an E-mail that arrived the other day. Just so you know which side to pull for: "Yesterday afternoon I went to my grandson's football practice. Evidently, one of our coaches knew someone at the University of Memphis, so his practice was held at the Tigers football practice field. "After practice, some of the Tiger players came by the kids to say hello to the team, which included my grandson and his friend Ryan. Ryan doesn't play football. He tried out but couldn't make the team, probably because he loves milkshakes and donuts. "I suppose you could guess the most popular Tiger player. It was DeAngelo Williams and he probably had 20 kids surrounding him. I discovered DeAngelo is a very gracious kid. He signed autographs all the way to the locker room door. Ryan couldn't get very close to DeAngelo because he is very shy. He is probably the only kid who didn't get an autograph. As DeAngelo finally got away from the kids and made his way up the sidewalk to the locker room, he looked over to his left and there was Ryan on the other side of a brick wall that separated them. Ryan looked up at DeAngelo and politely asked him if he would sign his visor hat. DeAngelo said he would sign the hat but kept on walking toward the locker room. He told Ryan he would be back later, in a few minutes to sign the visor. "I have to tell you that I really felt sorry for Ryan as I watched him stand there patiently waiting for DeAngelo to return. I didn't have the heart to tell him that he had probably just been blown off and that DeAngelo wasn't coming back. Seconds later DeAngelo Williams came walking out of the locker room and I felt tears swell and I watched him walk straight toward Ryan and sign that visor. "As DeAngelo walked away, Ryan turned to me and I almost cracked up when he said, 'I feel like this is all a dream.' " See? You pull for Memphis and DeAngelo. Anyway, the picks . . . Local games Memphis at Louisville: Louisville has better X's. Memphis has better O's. Plus, of course, the nicest superstar halfback to ever sign your visor. The pick: Louisville 27, Memphis 24.

11/14/03		West's Vision For Defense Coming True (Commercial Appeal)
		By Phil Stukenborg Contact November 14, 2003 When he hired Joe Lee Dunn to be his defensive coordinator, this is what University of Memphis football coach Tommy West envisioned: Opponents struggling to convert on third down. Opponents struggling to run. Opponents struggling to pick up Dunn's blitz schemes. When the Tigers (6-3 overall, 3-2 in Conference USA) play at Louisville (7-2, 3-2) Saturday in a C-USA game featuring the league's top two offenses, they'll bring a defense that has evolved into one of the conference's best. Since a midseason, first-half breakdown in a loss at Mississippi State, the Tiger defense has been - to steal the team's 2003 slogan - relentless. The defense allowed 323 yards and scored a touchdown in a lopsided win at Houston. It followed that by yielding 297 yards and scoring another TD in a one-sided win at Tulane. And in a 41-24 Tiger victory against East Carolina two weeks ago, the defense limited the Pirates to 55 rushing yards and 223 total yards. Both totals against ECU were season bests. "The defense has been playing phenomenal and helping this team out," quarterback Danny Wimprine said. "I think they are starting to understand how good they can be." Entering Saturday's game, the Tiger defense ranks third in the conference in total defense (318 yards per game) and fourth in rushing defense (133.6). It held Tulane and Houston, two of the league's highest-scoring teams, well below their averages. Tulane, averaging 30 points per game, managed just nine. Houston, averaging 29, scored 14. The Cougars' final touchdown came in the closing minute against Tiger reserves. West said the defense has acclimated to Dunn's schemes. "I really think the defense didn't know just what to do at the beginning of the season," West said. "Now they are starting to understand why they do what they do, and how it meshes against offenses. "We also are getting off some blocks where early in the year, we were just running into people. We were in our gap, but we were running into people. We are getting on their side now, and they may have a blocker for us, but we're getting some pressure and we're tackling pretty good." Defensive end Treveco Lucas said the group is becoming more comfortable with the scheme. "It's like when you do anything new, you have to get comfortable with doing it," Lucas said. "Once you get comfortable with it, it's almost like second nature. You almost do it without thinking. You just do it. Now we don't just understand what we do, but why we're doing it. It's making us better." Last year, the Tigers were among the conference's lowest-rated rush defenses. They finished eighth, allowing nearly 200 yards per game. As a result, West was determined to find a way to stop the run. When Dunn became available after Mississippi State coach Jackie Sherrill fired him, West pounced. He knew Dunn's style would confound C-USA offensive coordinators. In five C-USA games, the Tiger defense has allowed an average of 295 yards. "Joe Lee Dunn's defense is always a challenge as far as preparing for it and seeing which way they are going to blitz next because he just keeps bringing them," Louisville coach Bobby Petrino said. "They are playing real good defense. When you watch them on video, they remind you a lot of TCU in the fact they are fast and they play hard all the time." West said the improved play of senior defensive end Eric Taylor has boosted the defense, as well as the solid, consistent effort of a secondary that lost its top cover corner, Lee Hayes, at midseason to a broken ankle. "The defense is good when the secondary plays well, whether it's against the run or the pass," West said. "They have to fit in the run game and, obviously, be stout in the passing game. Our secondary has played well for us. All those guys back there are playing well . . . Cameron (Essex), (Derrick) Ballard, (Scott) Vogel and Wesley (Smith)." - Phil Stukenborg: 529-2543

11/14/03		Natural Tiger -- INSTINCTS, STUDY OF GAME MAKE WILLIAMS BEST BACK EVER AT MEMPHIS (Commercial Appeal)
		By Zack McMillin Contact November 14, 2003 The uncles would take their young nephew by the shirt collar and then take off running, forcing the boy to move faster than his little legs could normally propel him. DeAngelo Williams does not remember exactly how old he was - maybe 4 or 5 - when his uncles first started the game, but he does remember the feeling. It was his first taste of raw speed. "I was terrified," Williams says. "I was like, 'Oh, man. I'm gonna fall.' " It wasn't long, however, before Williams began to enjoy the game, and, looking back, it's almost hard to believe Williams was ever afraid of moving fast. Nowadays, the true sophomore from Wynne, Ark., uses speed to terrify opponents of the University of Memphis football team. As the Tigers prepare for one of their biggest games in years - at Louisville on Saturday - Williams is arguably the best all-round running back in the nation. Operating from the Tigers' one-back spread offense, Williams ranks first in the nation in all-purpose yardage (rushing, receiving and kick returning), averaging 192.0 yards per game. He's fourth in the nation in rushing yards, averaging 126.7 per game, and, with three regular-season games remaining, already has 1,140 yards rushing, a school record. He's rushed for more than 100 yards in eight of nine games in 2003, and he had 135 yards receiving in the one game - against Tennessee Tech - in which he failed to hit the century mark. According to CBS Sportsline.com's ranking of running backs, which factors in several variables including strength of schedule, Williams is the nation's best running back, three points ahead of Michigan's Chris Perry. "Let's face it, and this is no reflection on our guys up front because they do a great job, but it's not like he's running behind Nebraska or Oklahoma's offensive line," says Bob Rush, the Tiger radio analyst who spent nine seasons as an NFL lineman. "Could you imagine if this guy were at one of those places with the reputation for great offensive lines? That'd be scary. "Actually, it's already pretty scary." Though he has started only 10 games in his career, Williams is already considered by most Tiger fans as the best back in the history of the school. "Thank you for letting me be a part of your world, DeAngelo," Tiger coach Tommy West likes to joke with his easy-going star. In a more contemplative moment, West says: "I just feel very fortunate." What makes Williams such a great running back? Let us count the ways ... 'Gifts . . . from God' U of M linebacker Derrick Ballard, a senior, remembers when Williams made his recruiting visit to the school. He sized up the kid, who stood 5-9 (Williams swears this is right) and maybe weighed 190 pounds. "I was like, 'Yeah, right. You play running back,' " Ballard says. It did not take his coaches and teammates long to understand that Williams is the very definition of a modern major-college running back. "One of our first scrimmages, at the Liberty Bowl, he took away an angle from Elijah Bell, our senior linebacker, and scored from 50 yards out," says Tiger offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner, who doggedly recruited Williams. "That's when we knew he had that extra gear. "Another example is in the Ole Miss game last year. Two guys are rushing and he takes on one and throws his body across to cut the other guy and knocked himself out. It was not a freshman play." That juxtaposition gets to the heart of why Williams has emerged as one of the best backs in the nation. "He's got gifts you can't teach, gifts that come straight from God," says Danny Wimprine, the Tigers' record-breaking junior quarterback. He combines the speed of a sprinter with the strength of a linebacker and the soft hands of a receiver. Then there is his vision and instinctive feel for the game. And don't forget his work ethic, his willingness to protect his quarterback and studious approach to the game. "As a football player, he is as good at his position as probably anyone I've ever been around," says West. From day one, it was almost like the football gods had gift-wrapped a complete back and decided to deliver him not to an already established Southeastern Conference school but to a program like Memphis, starving for success. "If I were trying to find something to be critical of him, it would take a while," says Rush. "It's almost like it's too good to be true." An extra gear George Claiborne is the video coordinator for the Tiger program. His job requires him to spend 70-100 hours a week, depending, in the film room. When he's putting together tapes of Williams, it doesn't feel like a job. Claiborne shows a play against Houston, a game the Tigers won 45-14, in which Williams is running left behind the line, searching for a hole. There is none. So Williams improvises, taking a high-step that looks like a kung-fu move - "Walter Payton used to do that," Claiborne says - and suddenly he's accelerating around the end and past the pursuit. "It's jaw-dropping, some of the plays," Claiborne says. "I'll watch the tape and think it's just not fair sometimes." In highlight after highlight, the Tigers' No. 20 seems to be toying with the defense, keeping things in cruise control before punching turbo. This is one reason why much of the Tiger running game is as simple as this: Give it to DeAngelo, and let him go. "You can see him stretching, stretching, stretching and then he turns it on like it's warp speed," says Gerard Arnold, a Tiger graduate assistant and the second-leading rusher in U of M history. Says Wimprine: "If I was a defender, I'd run to the goal line every time." Dave Woloshin, the Tiger radio broadcaster, compares Williams to another great running back in the way he changes direction. "His ability to cut and explode is the best I've seen," Woloshin says. "He's like Gale Sayers in that way. Most guys lose speed on cuts. He gains speed." A panoramic view Many of the Tiger players and coaches pick another play from the Houston game as their favorite DeAngelo moment. On a draw play, Houston blitzed at the last second, sending everyone, and Williams was surrounded. But he darted to the outside, beat containment and blazed 21 yards into the right side of the end zone just ahead of a posse of red jerseys. Williams's memory of the play gives you an idea of his remarkable vision. "I remember seeing it out of the corner of my eye, that the wide receiver had cut his man and I remember seeing his feet in the air so I cut that way," Williams says. "That's the last thing I remember until I got to the end zone and my linemen and wideouts were on me." To hear people describe it, Williams is like an android. He sees the field like it's a video game. "Some people see the field like this," West says, and he frames his eyes with the palms of his hands, like blinders on a racehorse. Then West pulls his hands back and holds his palms out, like he's unveiling a panorama. That, he says, is how Williams sees the field, and his coaches marvel at how Williams rarely misses a hole. "He sees more things than he could probably describe to us," says Fichtner. "He sees bodies and has a knack for feeling where they are going to be and where they are going." Fichtner is right. Williams doesn't quite understand his gift, either. "Some of the stuff, I don't know how I do it until I see myself on film," Williams says. "I'm completely blank when I run the ball. . . . It's just a feel of the game, I guess. I have no idea how I do it." Powerful package Knowing he carries the ball 20-30 times a game, Williams takes care of his body. He bench presses 405 pounds, cleans 365 and keeps his squat to "only" 530 because of the knee injury he suffered last season. He may not look immediately imposing at 5-9 and 215 pounds; Williams is a lot like Emmitt Smith, the NFL's career leading rusher and the player West thinks Williams most resembles as a runner. The first defender rarely takes him down, and Williams sheds arm tackles like he's running through raindrops. "A lot of guys don't realize the power he has," says Ballard. Williams generally prefers running around defenders rather than over them, but most of his great runs include a bundle of missed tackles. "He's not big so it ain't like you see him truck over somebody," Arnold says. "But he can run through a tackle." With Williams, it looks more like a powerful sports car in an action movie, ripping off open doors down the side of the street. "You are not going to tackle him with a hand," says Wimprine. "It takes two arms and a body to tackle him." Even when defenders do succeed in stopping him, Williams keeps his feet moving and gains a few extra yards. "Very seldom," says Fichtner, "do you ever see him go backward." Student of the game Williams is always among the first players to greet Claiborne in the film room on Sunday mornings. Williams likes to study tapes of past performances and then see what Claiborne has on the upcoming opponent. He watches his own runs to discover what he was thinking on certain plays, so he might duplicate them. He watches opponents, especially linebackers, to see if they tend to overpursue. "There are things happening in the game," says Fichtner, "that he has already went through in his mind watching tape." Fichtner provides an example from the 41-24 win over East Carolina, in which Williams, who carries a 3.26 grade point average, ran for 137 yards. While watching tape, Williams noticed ECU's rover, No. 28, almost always made tackles by diving and taking out back's legs. So Williams said, "I'm gonna jump him." Sure enough, No. 28 dove low at him. Williams hurdled right over. "It was the dangedest thing," Fichtner says. The professional approach William takes to studying film also applies to practices. "He goes hard every day," says Ballard. "You never see him take a practice off." Fichtner has noticed another winning attribute. Williams listens to his coaches and learns from mistakes. "He's his own hardest critic, and when he makes a mistake you don't have to say a lot," Fichtner says. "I don't know that he's ever made the same mistake twice." Simply the best? Despite the numbers and the accolades and the likely all-American mentions, Williams can't get the endorsement of his own coaches as the best in the country. But that's only because they are doing their job, pushing him to get better. Says West: "I wouldn't do that right now just because he's only in his sophomore year. Now, I'm not trading him for anybody, I can emphatically tell you that." Says Fichtner: "I don't think great would be the word yet. For the great ones, it's always a test of time." The way people rave about his intangibles, however, suggests that Williams will stand that test. He's unselfish. For instance, Williams always brings a few of his offensive linemen to postgame interviews. Everyone notices his smile, big and magnetic, and the way his eyes radiate charisma. "Not only do I think he's a once-in-a-lifetime talent," says Rush, the radio analyst. "But he's good people." Woloshin, Rush's broadcast partner, reaches to another sport to capture the impact Williams is making on the program. "Several years ago we were walking out of a gym, and Larry Finch said, 'You know, a guy like this comes along every 20 years and fans need to realize how special he is,' " says Woloshin. "He was talking about Penny Hardaway. "Tommy West could be saying the same thing about DeAngelo." - Zack McMillin: 529-2564

11/13/03		Memphis Drops Season Opener To Wake Forest In NYC (GoTigersGo.com)
		By JIM O'CONNELL AP Basketball Writer NEW YORK (AP) - Taron Downey, playing eight days after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, scored a career-high 20 points to lead No. 20 Wake Forest to an 85-76 victory over Memphis on Thursday night in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic. The junior guard was considered questionable for the first game of the college basketball season. He didn't start for the Demon Deacons as he did in all 31 games last season, but he was the key factor in the second half as they built a 14-point lead with 4½ minutes to go at Madison Square Garden. Downey hit three 3-pointers in a 3:15 span of the second half, the last two part of a 13-3 run that gave Wake Forest a 73-59 lead with 4:30 to play. The first two of the 3s came when Jamaal Levy rebounded missed free throws by his teammates and got the ball out to Downey at the 3-point line. Rodney Carney had 19 points for Memphis, which used pressure defense to keep it close late in the game. But Downey was able to get the lead to 80-70 with 45 seconds to go when he found Vytas Danelius underneath for a dunk. Downey was 7-for-11 from the field and had five assists in 29 minutes. Justin Gray added 12 points for Wake Forest, which won its 10th straight season opener. Eric Williams had 11 points and heralded freshman Chris Paul, who started in Downey's place, added 10 as did Trent Strickland. Billy Richmond had 14 points for the Tigers, who played in the opening game of this eight-team event for the second straight year. Last season they beat eventual national champion Syracuse 70-63 in the opener. Antonio Burks had 13 points and nine assists for Memphis, while Sean Banks had 10 points and 14 rebounds.

11/13/03		Battle For First-Round Bye In C-USA Tournament Moves To Elma Roane Fieldhouse (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The battle in Conference USA for a first-round bye in the upcoming C-USA Championships will move to the Elma Roane Fieldhouse for the final weekend of regular season league play, starting Friday against Southern Miss. The Tigers, who are currently tied with Tulane, their Saturday night opponent, for the fourth and final slot that receives a first-round bye, will be hoping to have some home court magic in store for the weekend. "We always play well at home," Tiger Head Coach Carrie Yerty said. "Both of these matches will be tough, but we're glad to be at home for them instead of being on the road." Memphis will open against a Southern Miss team that is also setting some team records. The Golden Eagles, at 25-5, are just two wins shy of a school record in wins and have already set a new school mark for winning percentage (.833). Led by three seniors who are each averaging four or more kills per game, the Golden Eagles have played just eight of their 10 players off the roster, so USM will bring a well-conditioned team into the Fieldhouse ready to do battle if needed. The Tigers will also be using this weekend as Senior Weekend. Saturday night's match against Tulane will feature pre-game festivities for seniors Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's) and Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands). "Brittany and Shella have really been a foundation for the growth of this program and have developed into outstanding leaders and players," Yerty said. "Shella has really stepped up her consistency as a senior, which is evident in her blocking stats and attack percentage. She is a great role model, an outstanding student and has dedicated herself to being a student-athlete in its entirety, including community service and athletic responsibilities." Neba, who was also named to the Co-SIDA Academic All-Region Third Team Thursday, has ranked among the top 10 in Conference USA in attack percentage all year and recently moved into the top 10 in the league in blocking as well. After receiving her first collegiate all-tournament honor in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse earlier this year, the senior will be looking to continue her aggressive blocking game after setting a new school single match record with six block solos at Charlotte in a 3-2 victory last weekend. "I am very proud of Shella's progress as an athlete," Yerty said. "She is heading off to law school and will be an outstanding member of whatever community she asserts herself into." Neba will be joined in senior night festivities by Barnett. Already fourth in career history in kills with 1,272, Barnett has already secured a place in the Tiger record books as one of the best all-around players to wear the Tiger blue. "It will be really difficult for us to replace Brittany's work ethic and leadership," Yerty said. "I've relied on her for the last three years to be one of our go-to players on the court as well as a good role model off the court. I am very proud of her progress. This year she has developed into one of the best all-around players in our conference and will definitely leave a mark on Memphis history as one of our best all-around players." Barnett passed both the 1,000 career kill and dig marks earlier this season, and is currently 10th in career history with 1,125 digs. Her 443 kills already this season is the 9th-best single season kill total in school history, and when balanced against the 463 kills brought to the table by junior outside Tiara Gilkey, has given Memphis a much more balanced offense than it has had in previous years. Barnett is set to graduate in May with a degree in Hospitality and Resort Management, but still has volleyball plans for her post-college career, as she plans on starting her own coaching career in a club program.

11/13/03		Watts Earns Second Consecutive Academic All-District Honor (GoTigersGo.com)
		MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junior setter Heather Watts (Salt Lake City, Utah/Skyline) earned her second straight College of Sports Information Directors Association (Co-SIDA) Academic All-District first team honor it was announced, Thursday. Watts also earned first team honors as a sophomore for the Tigers. Senior Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's) earned third team all-district honors. A junior majoring in exercise science, Watts carries a 3.98 GPA and is on course to receive her bachelor's degree in three years. Watts leads the Tigers in assists (1,536), assists per game (13.36/game), service aces (55), and digs (350). In just her second year as the Tigers' setter, the Skyline High School graduate is already second in Tiger career history with 3,120 career assists. Her 1,536 assists already this season with at least three matches remaining is already the fourth-best single season mark in school history and makes her just the second player to surpass the 1,500 single season assist mark, and also the second to do so on back-to-back years. Watts is also about to break into the single season top 10 in service aces and digs. She is just four aces shy of the single season top 10 in aces and is just 56 shy of the single season top 10 in digs. Watts already is among the career top 10 with 140 career aces, and is currently 13th in career history with 972 career digs. The junior is also ranked nationally in assists per game. Watts was 14th in the country in assists per game through last weekend, while the Tigers rank 21st as a team in kills per game with 16.41 an outing. Watts will now appear on the national ballot for Academic All-America honors. The last Memphis student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors was April Harriman, who received a third team honor in 2000. Neba has continually moved up the career blocking marks for Memphis in her final season as a Tiger. The senior from Aurora, Colo., is currently fourth in Memphis history with 313 block assists and 8th with 50 block solos. Neba is coming off a school-record setting match at Charlotte last weekend, where she set a new single game record with six block solos in a 3-2 win over host Charlotte. Neba has ranked among the top 10 all year in the conference in hitting percentage and is now among the top 10 in blocks per game (1.12/game) as well. The Tigers, currently sporting a 27-4 record marks the first time Memphis has won 27 matches since 1994 when the team went to the NCAA Tournament. Memphis is in a three-way battle for the final two first-round bye spots in the Conference USA playoffs, hosted by Tulane University next weekend. Memphis hosts third-place Southern Miss (25-5, 9-2 C-USA), Friday, at 7 p.m., then hosts Tulane, a team the Tigers are currently tied with for fourth place in the league, Saturday, at 7 p.m. No. 20 Cincinnati still leads the C-USA standings at 11-0, while No. 19 Louisville is second at 10-1. All Tiger home games are played at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. Admission is free for U of M students with their student ID. This weekend will also mark a Friday-Saturday special. All fans buying tickets for Friday's game against Southern Miss will receive a coupon for free admission to Saturday's Tulane match. Saturday will also be the Tigers' senior night, marking the final home matches for seniors Brittany Barnett (Dallas, Texas/Lake Highlands) and Shella Neba (Aurora, Colo./St. Mary's). The first 100 fans to Friday's match will receive free U of M Floppy Hats.

11/13/03		Williams Named To Academic All-America Team (GoTigersGo.com)
		Memphis sophomore tailback DeAngelo Williams has been named to the 2003 CoSIDA All-District Academic All-America team (first team) and is now in the running for the national award. He was selected to the All-District IV team along with Ohio State tailback Maurice Hall. Williams, who is currently ranked first in the nation in all-purpose yardage and fourth in rushing yardage, broke the Memphis single season rushing record during the team's last home game against East Carolina. He now has 1,140 yards rushing this season with three games remaining. If he maintains his average of 126.0 rushing yards per game, the sophomore would finish the regular season with 1,518 yards. Outside of his work as a running back, Williams excels in the classroom and has a 3.262 GPA in business.

11/13/03		Cancellation Of UT Football Games Against U of M Invites Questions (Daily Helmsman)
		By Daniel Ford November 13, 2003 The cancellation of a five-game football contract between The University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee has many Memphis students and alumni asking questions. It was announced Wednesday by Tennessee Athletic Director Mike Hamilton that UT would be canceling scheduled games against Memphis in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 and possibly next season. The move appears to be in reaction to Memphis's refusal to play the Vols in basketball. A buyout clause in the schools' contracts requiring any team wishing to exit the agreement to pay $10,000 for each game it wants out of, but it is unclear if Tennessee will be able to opt out of next year's scheduled meeting in November. Memphis officials refused several requests for an interview saying that The University would not make any statements until lawyers for both schools finished negotiations. Although representatives of The U of M Athletic Department had no comment, students and alumni of the school were happy to give their opinions. "I think it's silly for multiple reasons," said Ross Boswell, an alumnus of The U of M. "The athletic department is losing money, and everyone knows they need money. It's not often that a smaller school like Memphis gets the opportunity to play their large in-state rival on a home-and-home basis. It's something that other schools would kill for, and we're just (throwing it all away)." For a football program that operated $2 million in the red and an athletic department that was $1 million over budget last year, the move to let go of a sure sellout with the Tennessee football game doesn't make fiscal sense to many fans. "I think it's crazy to walk away from that when the budget is a million dollars in the red," said David Williams, U of M alumnus. "I don't think there's not a team out there of Tennessee's stature that is going to be willing to play us home-and-home and who is a legitimate top 10 team." Williams said if the entire reason the series was cancelled was because of Memphis' refusal to play a home-and-home with Tennessee in basketball, he doesn't blame the Vols for walking. "To me, the Tennessee basketball program is not a David-Lipscomb," Williams said. "It's a legitimate Division I basketball program. I don't think that is too much to ask for in order to play them in football." Chuck House graduated from Memphis in 1989 and said he views Memphis' refusal in the basketball series as an ill-advised power play. "I think it is a very bad thing for the athletic department," House said. "It is a series many people fought years to bring about, and we are (throwing) it away because of our egos. That's very foolish, and many longtime fans are very upset with these developments." Fans that support the decision to eliminate UT from the football schedule may be singing a different tune in a few years, Boswell said. "I'm just afraid that if we throw that away we'll never be able to get it back," Boswell said. "Ten years from now, some of these fans who are advocating getting rid of them will probably be raising hell. "I'm a Memphis fan and I can't stand Tennessee, but I like it when the Tigers play Tennessee. It's exciting, and I think it's a shame to give that up."

11/13/03		Tiger Turnabout: Team Is Smokin' - In Way Coach Wants (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 13, 2003 To put it in true volleyball vernacular, the University of Memphis's 2003 season was as good as spiked before it even started. That was the message when the Conference USA preseason poll came out and the Tigers were pegged for 12th place. "We looked at it as an insult and a challenge," said senior outside hitter Brittany Barnett. "We knew we were better than that." What the Tigers have done since then - going 8-3 in the league, 27-4 overall - is prove that they were better, much better. Coming into this, coach Carrie Yerty's eighth season at Memphis, the team never had owned a winning conference record. They finished 19-15 overall last season, but that wasn't the lasting image coming into this season. No, what endured was the news of an unfortunate incident last spring. Yerty, upset over several players admitting they had been smoking - a violation of team policy - came up with a creative punishment: She made players smoke cigarettes and run laps on a track after a three-hour practice. Several of the players became ill and vomited. Tiger athletic director R.C. Johnson wrote Yerty a letter of reprimand and gave any athlete who wished to transfer because of the incident an unconditional release. Last May, three freshman took Johnson up on the offer. Yerty would not publicly discuss the incident, or the adminstration's discipline resulting from the incident, last spring. Nor will she speak to the incident now, even from the perspective of her team having come through it to have its best season in her Memphis coaching tenure. "I'm not going to comment," Yerty, 33, said. "This is a whole new semester. I'm totally committed to this season." Still, the team's turnaround is especially amazing given the metaphorical smoke that lingered. "I think we've all done a good job of putting it behind us," said Barnett. "Everything is so positive." Middle hitter Shella Neba, the other senior on the team, agreed. "I don't think (success this season) came out of anything having to do with last spring," she said. "I just think it was time." It was especially time for Neba and Barnett, who now are looking at the likely prospect of going to the NCAA Tournament for the first time. "For me and Brittany this has meant a lot," said Neba. "Not just because of all the hard work in the preseason, but because of four years. To see it pay off in a tangible way that other people can see is very rewarding. "I wouldn't say winning was a surprise, but the level of consistency we have was a welcome surprise." Where has such consistency come from? "We run a balanced offense," Yerty said. "We have one of the best setters in the conference. She's ranked nationally. With a quarterback like Heather (Watts) running the offense, that helps. We also have three people averaging approximately four kills per game." While Yerty doesn't see any connection between the smoking incident last spring and the success of this fall, and while players are reluctant to draw any connection, there's no denying this year is different. Yerty, for instance, said she has cut back practices, which were three hours last year, by 30 or 60 minutes per session. Neba said the players have appreciated that change. "She's a lot smarter this year in giving us time off when our bodies needed it," Neba said. "Every year she's been there she's tried to improve as a coach. . . . We're on the same wavelength." Said Barnett: "We (the players) look forward to seeing each other every day. We have fun on thecourt." Even when the score is close, the outcome in doubt. "In tight matches," said Yerty, "they're very composed." And so here they are, about to close out the regular season - tonight's match at 7 against Southern Miss at Elma Roane Fieldhouse, and Saturday's home match vs. Tulane - and it has been a season beyond belief instead of a season, well, gone up in smoke. "When I saw we were picked 12th, I knew we'd surprise a lot of teams," Yerty said. "But in terms of being 27-4, I don't think any coach mentally prepares for that." - Don Wade: 529-2358

11/13/03		Cards To Test Tiger Defense (Commercial Appeal)
		By Don Wade Contact November 13, 2003 Two losses by a combined six points. One of the losses being an overtime game, the other a near-miss 31-28 setback at TCU, which is still undefeated and up to sixth in the BCS standings. If the University of Memphis is the surprise team of Conference USA, and TCU the national story of the league, then Louisville is the best team stealthily moving through its season and toward a sixth straight bowl appearance. "We'd love to go to the Liberty Bowl," said linebacker Robert McCune. The Cardinals have played in the Liberty Bowl two of the past three seasons and are 7-2, 3-2 in the league in Bobby Petrino's first year as head coach. With TCU and Southern Miss far in front of them, a return trip isn't likely. But there are plenty of other C-USA Bowl tie-ins out there, plenty of places to go if Louisville keeps going the way it has been going. The Cardinals are leading with their offense, the top offense in C-USA with 482.4 yards per game - just ahead of No. 2 Memphis, at 469.3. Quarterback Stefan LeFors is the league's individual leader in total offense - 274.1 yards. Wideout J.R. Russell is second in receiving yards per game, at 90.1. Though injury might keep Louisville leading rusher and Florida State transfer Eric Shelton out of Saturday's 2:05 game against the Tigers at Papa John's Stadium, Lionel Gates is more than a capable replacement. Shelton has 756 rushing yards and carries a 4.8 per-carry average. Gates is at 412 and 5.3 The Tigers also will have to account for senior tight end Ronnie Ghent, a three-time All-Conference USA first-team selection. "It's been fun," Ghent said of Louisville's season, in which it has scored 28 or more points in eight games, and 21 in the other. "It's a wide-open offense and gives a lot of people chances to make plays. "And if (Shelton) doesn't play, everybody else will just have to take up the slack." Tigers cat safety Derrick Ballard has seen enough of Louisville to know it has the players to do just that. "My biggest concern is stopping the run early," Ballard said. "They've got big backs. If they get their motor running, you're in trouble." Said Memphis linebacker Greg Harper: "They've got a good quarterback, which they seem to have every year. And they've got some guys that can break some tackles and make you miss. "From the receivers to the tight end to the running backs to the quarterback, they can hurt you anywhere if you go to sleep. They can pop (a big play) on you." And, to the Cardinals' way of thinking, they were just one play away in the TCU game. "We put up the numbers," Ghent said, referring to 580 yards of offense. "We just didn't put up the points." "We played them pretty good," added McCune. "No one should have their head down. We've put that game behind us." Question: Will the game ahead become a shootout between the league's two most prolific offenses? "I thought Louisville-TCU would be a high-scoring game, like 62-55," said Tigers running back DeAngelo Williams. "But it turned out to be 31-28." Meaning, the defenses will have a chance to make themselves known. Louisville's turnover margin of +8 is 14th-best in the country. Memphis has a +1 turnover margin. Joe Lee Dunn's Tiger defense has seemed to play better as the season has gone on, and no doubt will be in full attack mode come Saturday. Ghent said the Cards will be ready. "A lot of people have thrown a lot of different things at us," he said. - Don Wade: 529-2358

11/13/03		Tigers-Louisville Notebook (Commercial Appeal)
		When: Saturday, 2 p.m. CST. Where: Papa John's Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, Ky. Records: U of M 6-3 (3-2 in Conference USA; Louisville 7-2 (3-2). TV, radio: WPTY-TV (24); WMC-AM (790). Blame it on the rain: For the first time since the indoor turf room was rebuilt (following an October 2002 fire), the Tiger football team used it for a practice. The Tigers didn't need it for their full workout Wednesday, just the final hour after a heavy afternoon rainstorm and lightning sent the players and coaches scurrying for the indoor facility. The turf room, which has about a 40-yard artificial surface, was reopened in late August. The building was destroyed by fire last October, but the blaze did not damage the renovated athletic complex separated by a firewall. After three, it's in the books: Louisville doesn't permit many opponents to rally in the final quarter. The Cardinals are 6-0 this season when leading after three quarters and have won 28 straight when leading after three periods since 1999. The last time Louisville lost going into the final quarter with a lead was on Nov. 20, 1999. The Cards led, 27-24, but two Southern Miss field goals allowed the Golden Eagles to rally. Another record in jeopardy: As if Tiger tailback DeAngelo Williams hasn't broken enough rushing records, another one could fall Saturday at Papa John's Stadium. Williams has had 193 rushing attempts through nine games, which ties him with Marvin Cox (1989) for third on the school's single-season list. If Williams maintains his 21 carries-per-game average, he'll move past Gerard Arnold, a Tiger graduate assistant coach who had 208 carries during the 1998 season. Dave Casinelli holds the single-season mark with 219 in 1963. That record will fall if Williams carries 27 times. Williams has had 28 or more carries in a game three times, including a season-high 29 in the team's last game, a 41-24 victory over East Carolina. "I've really had to get used to that since I've been here," Williams said of getting 20-plus carries per game. "When I got here, I thought it was far-fetched for me to carry the ball 25 or 30 times. I was used to carrying the ball about 15 to 17 times a game in high school." - By Phil Stukenborg

11/13/03		Where are They Now? Jeff Buffaloe, Tiger Football, 1991-92 (Commercial Appeal)
		We all know about Isaac Bruce and how his life unfolded after leaving Memphis and being drafted by the Rams. But what about the other Tiger who was selected by the same club a year earlier? What about Jeff Buffaloe? "Where do I start?'' asked the best punter in University of Memphis history. "Well, I'm an old man now . . ." Which, of course, isn't true at all. Buffaloe is just 33 years old and lives in Lakeland. He's serving as a pharmaceutical sales representative for GlaxoSmithKline and enjoying the success of the Tiger football team. "It's really exciting what they're doing,'' Buffaloe said. "Tommy West, with his personality, he makes you want to be a Tiger fan. I really think a lot of him.'' After averaging 45.3 yards per punt at Memphis, Buffaloe was one of only three punters drafted in 1993 and spent some time with the Rams and Vikings. Ultimately, the punting thing came to an end. Which was fine, because it allowed Buffaloe to settle down and marry his longtime girlfriend, Michelle, who is also a U of M graduate. "We dated for seven years before we got married,'' Buffaloe explained. "We were kind of waiting on the football thing, just to see what would happen. So now we're in Lakeland and settled down.'' - By Gary Parrish

11/13/03		Tipoff Time -- Season Rolls As Tigers Take On Deacons (Commercial Appeal)
		By Gary Parrish Contact November 13, 2003 NEW YORK - If you're one of those people who follow box scores, you probably signed on to the Internet on Sunday morning to see how Wake Forest did in its final exhibition. Then you saw they lost. To Athletes in Action, no less. And you must've thought it was a good sign for the University of Memphis. John Calipari disagrees. "It means nothing to me," the Tiger coach insisted. "All that means is that they've probably gone through football practice this week and will be ready for us." The college basketball season is officially here. And just like last year, it begins with the U of M, this time meeting 20th-ranked Wake Forest at Madison Square Garden in a nationally televised game scheduled to tip at 6:09 CST. The contest will feature two high-profile coaches, two highly regarded point guards and enough question marks to fill a survey pulled from the pages of your favorite magazine. That, combined with the bright lights of the big city and the prestige surrounding this two-day, eight-school event dubbed the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, should be enough to make it memorable no matter how the contest unfolds. "It's great," said Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser. "If you want to be a nationally prominent team then you have to play a nationally prominent schedule. And there's certainly no better place to open than in the most famous arena in the world in the first college basketball game of the year." Whether Memphis earns an upset and extends its streak of wins in Madison Square Garden to four will likely be determined by how it fares on the boards against an imposing Wake Forest team. Across the front among their starters, the Demon Deacons average 6-9, 256 pounds. Meanwhile, the Memphis starting frontcourt lists an average of 6-8, 218. That concerns the Tiger staff, especially considering Wake Forest outrebounded its two exhibition opponents by a combined 95-60. "That's all Coach has been talking about," said Memphis freshman Almamy Thiero. "Rebounding is going to play a big role in this game." From the "this sure won't help" department comes the fact that 6-9 freshman Ivan Lopez did not make the trip with the Tigers and also won't play against Fordham on Nov. 22 while serving a two-game suspension. That's the penalty the NCAA levied because of Lopez's participation in a semi-pro league in his native Puerto Rico. "It's the dumbest rule," Calipari said. "It was three years ago, he played two minutes in two games and wasn't paid. But I won't argue the point because he couldn't have played (here) anyway (because of a bad hamstring)." In the backcourt, things will be just as interesting as senior point guard Antonio Burks of Memphis gets to tangle with Wake Forest's freshman point guard, Chris Paul. Truth be told, Prosser didn't want to thrust his McDonald's All American into this situation. But an injury to starting point guard Taron Downey gives him no choice. "It will be interesting for Chris, no doubt," Prosser said. "Not only will it be his first college start, but New York City, Madison Square Garden, Dick Vitale and ESPN all in one. It is a daunting challenge for sure, but I have confidence in Chris. He will play well. "With Taron out, it is his team. It will be a challenge to play against a veteran senior guard in Antonio Burks. But I will sleep well because I know that Chris will play well." - Gary Parrish: 529-2365

11/13/03		Preview: Tigers vs. Wake Forest (Commercial Appeal)
		When, where: Today, 6 p.m. CST in the first game of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at Madison Square Garden. Records: First game for both teams. Series standing: Memphis leads, 1-0. Latest line: Wake Forest by 31/2 Notables: Injuries will affect this opener for both teams. The Tigers are without sophomore Jeremy Hunt, who is recovering from foot surgery. On the other side, sophomore Chris Ellis broke his foot in Wake Forest's first practice of the preseason and is out while junior Taron Downey's status is uncertain following an emergency appendectomy last Wednesday. "I do not expect (Downey) to play," said Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser. "I am not saying unequivocally that he won't play, but I am not expecting him to be ready." . . . Wake Forest has won nine consecutive season-opening games dating to Tim Duncan's freshman season in 1993. Prosser has never lost a season-opener in 10 seasons as a head coach. . . . The only previous meeting between these two schools was a memorable one. It came in the second round of the 1982 NCAA Tournament and a freshman named Keith Lee finished with 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Tigers to a 56-55 victory. . . . A few players in this game are familiar with one another. Wake Forest's Alan Williams, a Briarcrest Christian graduate, grew up playing against Billy Richmond; Wake's Chris Ellis and the Tigers' Anthony Rice both went to high school in the Atlanta area; Wake's Vytas Danelius and the Tigers' Rodney Carney went to high school in the Indianapolis area. Also, Prosser and Memphis coach John Calipari were raised in Pennsylvania. . . . This will be the sixth game in four seasons that the Tigers have played in Madison Square Garden. Memphis is 4-1 in the previous five with the most recent being a 70-63 victory over eventual national champion Syracuse in last year's season-opener. TEAM COMPARISONS U of M Wake FG percentage .435.453 Opp. Percentage .406.397 FT percentage .654752 3-point percentage 344.341 Opp. Percentage .324.335 Rebounds 40.141.7 Opp. Rebounds 36.032.0 Points for 74.477.8 Points against 66.467.8 PROBABLE STARTERS Memphis PYr.Ht.Pts. Antonio Burks GSr.6-09.7 Anthony Rice GJr.6-48.8 Rodney Carney FSo.6-79.8 Sean Banks FFr.6-8N/A Duane Erwin CJr.6-92.1C Wake Forest PYr.Ht.Pts. Chris Paul GFr.6-0N/A Justin Gray GSo.6-212.7 Jamaal Levy FJr.6-97.2 Vytas Danelius FJr.6-912.3 Eric Williams CSo.6-98.7

11/13/03		Analyzing The Keys To The Game (Wake Forest) (Commercial Appeal)
		Don't get killed on the boards: With a Memphis fro